Anxiety, depression and relationship satisfaction in the pregnancy following stillbirth and after the birth of a live-born baby: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Experiencing a stillbirth can be a potent stressor for psychological distress in the subsequent pregnancy and possibly after the subsequent birth. The impact on women's relationship with her partner in the subsequent pregnancy and postpartum remains uncertain. The objectives of the study were 1) To investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in the pregnancy following stillbirth and assess gestational age at stillbirth and inter-pregnancy interval as individual risk factors. 2) To assess the course of anxiety, depression and satisfaction with partner relationship up to 3 years after the birth of a live-born baby following stillbirth. METHODS: This study is based on data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, a population-based pregnancy cohort. The sample included 901 pregnant women: 174 pregnant after a stillbirth, 362 pregnant after a live birth and 365 previously nulliparous. Anxiety and depression were assessed by short-form subscales of the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist, and relationship satisfaction was assessed by the Relationship Satisfaction Scale. These outcomes were measured in the third trimester of pregnancy and 6, 18 and 36 months postpartum. Logistic regression models were applied to study the impact of previous stillbirth on depression and anxiety in the third trimester of the subsequent pregnancy and to investigate gestational age and inter-pregnancy interval as potential risk factors. RESULTS: Women pregnant after stillbirth had a higher prevalence of anxiety (22.5%) and depression (19.7%) compared with women with a previous live birth (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.90-10.32 and aOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.11-3.27) and previously nulliparous women (aOR 4.97, 95% CI 2.68-9.24 and aOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.08-3.36). Gestational age at stillbirth (> 30 weeks) and inter-pregnancy interval <  12 months were not associated with depression and/or anxiety. Anxiety and depression decreased six to 18 months after the birth of a live-born baby, but increased again 36 months postpartum. Relationship satisfaction did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: Women who have experienced stillbirth face a significantly greater risk of anxiety and depression in the subsequent pregnancy compared with women with a previous live birth and previously nulliparous women.

Women's experiences in relation to stillbirth and risk factors for long-term post-traumatic stress symptoms: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To investigate the experiences of women with a previous stillbirth and their appraisal of the care they received at the hospital. (2) To assess the long-term level of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in this group and identify risk factors for this outcome. DESIGN: A retrospective study. SETTING: Two university hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: The study population comprised 379 women with a verified diagnosis of stillbirth (≥23 gestational weeks or birth weight ≥500 g) in a singleton or twin pregnancy 5-18 years previously. 101 women completed a comprehensive questionnaire in two parts. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The women's experiences and appraisal of the care provided by healthcare professionals before, during and after stillbirth. PTSS at follow-up was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale (IES). RESULTS: The great majority saw (98%) and held (82%) their baby. Most women felt that healthcare professionals were supportive during the delivery (85.6%) and showed respect towards their baby (94.9%). The majority (91.1%) had received some form of short-term follow-up. One-third showed clinically significant long-term PTSS (IES ≥ 20). Independent risk factors were younger age (OR 6.60, 95% CI 1.99 to 21.83), induced abortion prior to stillbirth (OR 5.78, 95% CI 1.56 to 21.38) and higher parity (OR 3.46, 95% CI 1.19 to 10.07) at the time of stillbirth. Having held the baby (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.56) was associated with less PTSS. CONCLUSIONS: The great majority saw and held their baby and were satisfied with the support from healthcare professionals. One in three women presented with a clinically significant level of PTSS 5-18 years after stillbirth. Having held the baby was protective, whereas prior induced abortion was a risk factor for a high level of PTSS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, with registration number NCT 00856076.

Classification of stillbirths and risk factors by cause of death--a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate risk factors for stillbirths by cause, using the Causes of Death and Associated Conditions (CODAC) classification system for perinatal deaths. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Two university hospitals in Oslo, Norway, January 1990 through December 2003. SAMPLE: Women with stillbirth after 22 gestational weeks (n = 377) and controls with live births (n = 1 215), and a subsample of 105 cases and 262 controls. METHODS: Socio-demographic, clinical and thrombophilic risk factors for stillbirths were assessed by cause of death in univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Stillbirths were classified according to CODAC based on information from medical records and validated placenta histology. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Causes of stillbirths in percentages, prevalence, odds ratios and adjusted odds ratios for potential risk factors. RESULTS: Approximately half of the women (n = 190) had placental and 19.4% (n = 73) unknown cause of stillbirth. Placental-associated conditions were registered in 18% (n = 68) of cases with a non-placental or an unknown cause. Smoking and small-for-gestational age were more prevalent in all causal groups, compared with controls, whereas twin pregnancy, hypertension and diabetes were more prevalent only among women with placental and unknown causes of stillbirth. The F2rs179963 polymorphism and combined thrombophilia were significant risk factors for stillbirth with placental causes and antiphospholipid antibodies for stillbirth with non-placental causes. CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of all stillbirths (68%) were caused by or associated with placental pathology. Risk factors differed somewhat according to cause, apart from smoking and small-for-gestational age, which were significant risk factors across the causal groups.

Long-term impact of intrauterine fetal death on quality of life and depression: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) is a serious incidence that has been shown to impact mothers' psychological well-being in the short-term. Long-term quality of life (QOL) and depression after IUFD is not known. This study aimed to determine the association between intrauterine fetal death and long-term QOL, well-being, and depression. METHODS: Analyses were performed on collected data among 106 women with a history of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) and 262 women with live births, 5-18 years after the event. Univariable and multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to quantify the association between previous fetal death and long-term QOL, well-being and depression. QOL was assessed using the QOL Index (QLI), symptoms of depression using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and subjective well-being using the General Health Questionnaire 20 (GHQ-20). RESULTS: More of the cases had characteristics associated with lower socioeconomic status and did not rate their health as good as did the controls. The QLI health and functioning subscale score was slightly but significantly lower in the cases than in the controls (22.3. vs 23.5, P = .023). The CES-D depressed affect subscale score (2.0 vs 1.0, P = 0.004) and the CES-D global score (7.4 vs 5.0, P = .017) were higher in the cases. Subjective well-being did not differ between groups (20.6 vs 19.4, P = .094). After adjusting for demographic and health-related variables, IUFD was not associated with global QOL (P = .674), subjective well-being (P = .700), or global depression score (adjusted odds ratio = 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.37-1.57). CONCLUSIONS: Women with previous IUFD, of which the majority have received short-term interventions, share the same level of long-term QOL, well-being and global depression as women with live births only, when adjusted for possible confounders. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, with registration number NCT 00856076.

The association of antiphospholipid antibodies with intrauterine fetal death: a case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Over the past few decades it has been recognized that antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with pregnancy loss. Other placenta-mediated pregnancy complications have also been associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Most studies have measured antiphospholipid antibodies near the time of the event investigated. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of antiphospholipid antibodies and a history of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) in a case-control design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study of 105 women with a history of IUFD after 22 gestational weeks and 262 controls with live births. The prevalence of lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin- and anti-ß2-glycoprotein 1 antibodies were measured 3-18years after the event of IUFD. RESULTS: Total 9.5% of women with a history of IUFD and 5.0% of controls had at least one positive test for antiphospholipid antibodies (OR 2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-4.8). Women with a history of IUFD were significantly more often positive for lupus anticoagulant compared to controls (OR 4.3; 95% CI 1.0-18.4). The association of lupus anticoagulant with a history of IUFD was confined to women positive for other antiphospholipid antibodies in addition to lupus anticoagulant. Being positive for anti-ß2-glycoprotein 1 or anticardiolipin antibodies alone was not significantly associated with a history of IUFD. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a history of IUFD after 22 gestational weeks were more often lupus anticoagulant positive. The association was confined to women with multiple positivity for antiphospholipid antibodies, although firm conclusions on the importance of multiple positivity cannot be made from this study.

Incidence and risk factors of fetal death in Norway: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate incidence and risk factors for intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) in a Norwegian study-population applying two different control groups. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Two university hospitals in Oslo, Norway, January 1990 through December 2003. SAMPLE: The cases: 377 women with IUFD. CONTROLS: 1) all women delivering at the study-hospitals in the period (facility-based), and 2) 1 215 women with live births at one study-hospital in the period (selected). METHODS: Information from cases and selected controls was collected from medical records. Data on facility-based controls were provided by the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Data were analyzed using chi-squared test and logistic regression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of IUFD and adjusted odds ratios of risk factors. RESULTS: The incidence was 4.1/1 000 deliveries. Small-for-gestational age (SGA) and placental abruption were the strongest risk factors for IUFD. Hypertensive disorders were of low risk if not associated with SGA. Low to moderate risk factors were pre-pregnancy diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, placenta previa, gestational diabetes, smoking and twin pregnancy. Advanced maternal age was significant when compared with facility-based controls. Risk estimates pointed in the same direction independent of control-group. Hypertension appeared overestimated when using facility-based controls, whereas advanced age was underestimated in the analysis among selected controls. CONCLUSION: SGA has a strong association with IUFD, and the risk of hypertensive disorders is mediated through SGA. The other risk factors, except placental abruption, are of low prevalence and of limited importance in the prevention of a relatively low incidence, although dramatic, event like IUFD.

[Requested abortions in Oslo 2000-2003]. / Nemndbehandlede svangerskapsavbrudd i Oslo 2000-03.

BACKGROUND: Women of non-Western origin are over-represented among women requesting induced abortion before the end of the 12th week of pregnancy, in Oslo, Norway. Our aim was to find out if that was also the case for women requesting induced abortion after week 12. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We assessed differences between Western and non-Western women in duration of pregnancy at request for induced abortion and the proportion accepted for abortion. All women requesting induced abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy at Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo from January 2000 to September 2003 (n = 378) were included. Information about the number of fertile women in Oslo according to ethnic background was found in the municipality of Oslo's statistical office. Other data were obtained from patient medical records. RESULTS: 23% (87/378) of all women requesting late induced abortion and 15.5% (20,636/132,843) of women aged 15-50 years in Oslo had non-Western background (p < 0.05). The mean gestational age at the time of requested abortion among non-Western women was 16.4 weeks and among Western women it was 15.6 weeks (p = 0.01). There was a non-significant increased risk of having the abortion request rejected for non-Western as compared to Western women (adjusted odds ratio 1.6; 95% CI 0.5-5.5), after control for gestational age and maternal age. INTERPRETATION: It is known that non-Western women in Oslo are over-represented among women giving birth and women requesting induced abortion in general. This study shows that non-western women are also over-represented among women requesting induced abortion after the 12th pregnancy week.

[Induced abortion among women with foreign cultural background in Oslo]. / Provosert abort blant kvinner med fremmedkulturell bakgrunn i Oslo.

BACKGROUND: A large proportion of women requesting induced abortion in Oslo, Norway are of non-Western origin. The aim of this study was to investigate whether non-Western immigrant women are over-represented among women requesting induced abortion. For comparative purposes the proportion of non-Western women with deliveries was also assessed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Included in the study were all women 16-50 years of age, living in Oslo in 1999. Age specific data on the number of female residents and the number of women with deliveries according to immigrant status were obtained from the City of Oslo's Statistical Office. Information on the number of induced abortions according to age and immigrant status was obtained from the medical records of all women requesting induced abortion in Oslo during a four-months period. RESULTS: 25% of all women requesting induced abortion (262/1,069) and 15.5% (20,637/132,843) of the general population were non-Western (ratio between proportions = 1.6, p < 0.05 chi square test). Non-Western women were over-represented in all age groups of women requesting induced abortion; this was most pronounced in the age groups > 35 years. Non-Western women were also over-represented in all age groups of women who had delivery. Half of all deliveries in women < 25 years were among non-Western women. INTERPRETATION: Non-Western immigrant women seem to represent a risk group for induced abortion.