Unfulfilled maternity

Introduction: Maternity is strictly related to womanhood. It is a sense and aim of life for many women. However, it’s very different when the child is born dead. The loss of a child causes overwhelming mental pain. It is the most difficult situation, which women can experience in their lives for it touches all spheres of life.

The objective of this work was to evaluate psychological reactions of women after unfulfilled mother-hood.

Material and methods: The study population comprised of two groups of women - a study group of women who delivered dead infants and a control group of women whose children were born alive. A short questionnaire developed by authors was employed together with Polish versions of the Rosenberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory.

Results: The study population included 120 women; the number of respondents in both groups was similar (50 vs. 50%). A statistically significant correlation between the level of depression and anxiety as a state (r = 0.56, p < 0.001) as well as trait (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) was proven. The evaluation of depres-sion with the Beck Inventory showed the increase of depression when the level of self-esteem deteriorated (p* < 0.001). The level of self-esteem decreased as anxiety assessed as a “state” increased of 0.65 point (p* < 0.001) whereas as a “trait” it deteriorated of 1.22 point (p* < 0.001).

Conclusions: Women who delivered dead children revealed higher level of depressive symptoms and the following tendency was obser-ved: the more intense depressive symptoms the lower self-esteem. Anxiety as a state and trait correlated with self-esteem of res-pondents. However, anxiety as a trait had stronger influence on respondent’s self-esteem when compared with anxiety as a state.