A miscarriage can have a profound emotional impact, not only on a woman but also on her partner, friends and family. Sometimes, the emotional impact is felt immediately after the miscarriage, whereas in other cases it can take several weeks to emerge.

The most common emotions that are felt after a miscarriage are grief and bereavement. They can cause physical and emotional symptoms.

Physical symptoms of grief and bereavement include:

• fatigue (tiredness),
• loss of appetite,
• difficulties concentrating, and
• sleeping problems.

Emotional symptoms of grief and bereavement include:

• guilt,
• shock and numbness,
• anger (sometimes at a partner, or at friends or family members who have had successful pregnancies), and
• an overwhelming sense of sadness.

Different people grieve in different ways. Some people find it comforting to talk about their feelings while others find the subject too painful to discuss.

Some women come to terms with their grief after a few weeks of having a miscarriage and start planning for their next pregnancy. For other women, the thought of planning another pregnancy is too traumatic, at least in the short term.

If you are worried that you or your partner are having problems coping with grief, you may need further treatment and counselling. There are a number of support groups that can provide or arrange counselling for people whose lives have been affected by miscarriage. See Useful links for more information.

Alternatively, your GP should be able to provide you with support and advice.