Miscarriage is one of the most common forms of pregnancy loss and can cause profound emotional distress for both individuals and couples, often initiating an intense grieving process. Despite its relative prevalence, miscarriage remains a socially overlooked, misunderstood, and frequently taboo experience. As a result, many women and their partners face feelings of loneliness, lack of understanding, and insufficient support while coping with their loss. The aim of this master’s thesis was to explore how mothers and their partners experience miscarriage as a form of loss, the personal and interpersonal challenges they encounter throughout the grieving process, and the types of support and assistance they receive from their social environment and professional services. The theoretical part of the thesis presents miscarriage as a form of pregnancy loss and examines its significance from medical, psychological, social, and societal perspectives. Particular attention is devoted to the grieving process following the loss of an unborn child and to the factors that influence individuals’ coping strategies. The thesis further discusses the emotional, physical, and social consequences of miscarriage and highlights the importance of social support, professional assistance, and psychosocial care in the recovery process. Special emphasis is placed on the role of social work, which, through a holistic approach, can contribute to recognizing distress, reducing stigma, and providing support to individuals and couples following pregnancy loss. The empirical part of the thesis presents a qualitative study focusing on the experiences of miscarriage among mothers and their partners, the personal and interpersonal challenges they faced, the role of the social environment, experiences of support and assistance following the loss, and societal perceptions of miscarriage. The findings revealed that both mothers and their partners experienced miscarriage as a significant life loss that affected the emotional, relational, and social dimensions of their lives. Mothers frequently reported feelings of sadness, emptiness, helplessness, guilt, fear, and uncertainty, whereas partners tended to express their distress more reservedly and often prioritized their partners’ needs over their own. Despite differences in emotional expression, the loss profoundly affected both partners. The study further demonstrated that partners, family members, friends, and other significant individuals played an important role in helping participants cope with their loss by providing emotional support, understanding, and practical assistance in everyday life. At the same time, some participants reported experiences of stigmatization, minimization of their loss, and a lack of understanding from others. The findings indicate that, despite its prevalence, miscarriage remains a topic that is insufficiently discussed in society. Participants emphasized the need for greater public awareness, improved psychological and psychosocial support, and stronger involvement of professional services in supporting individuals and couples following pregnancy loss. One of the key conclusions of this master’s thesis is that miscarriage should not be understood merely as a medical event or a medical loss, but rather as a complex life experience of loss that requires comprehensive, compassionate, and professional support for both mothers and their partners.
|
