Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following spontaneous abortion: Prevalence and associated factors in women of South Khorasan Province, Iran

Katebi, Maryam Sadat; Moudi, Asieh; Rezaiy, Amirhossein; Daliri, Masumeh

doi:10.61882/JBUMS.32.3.209

Volume 32, Issue 3 (Autumn 2025) Journal of Translational Medical Research. 2025, 32(3): 209-222 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.61882/JBUMS.32.3.209

Research code: A-10-3573-1

Ethics code: IR.BUMS.REC.1401.367

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Katebi M S, Moudi A, Rezaiy A, Daliri M. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following spontaneous abortion: Prevalence and associated factors in women of South Khorasan Province, Iran. Journal of Translational Medical Research. 2025; 32 (3) :209-222
URL: http://journal.bums.ac.ir/article-1-3549-en.html

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following spontaneous abortion: Prevalence and associated factors in women of South Khorasan Province, Iran

Maryam Sadat Katebi¹

, Asieh Moudi¹

, Amirhossein Rezaiy²

, Masumeh Daliri ^*³

1- Department of Midwifery, Qaen Faculty of Medical Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
2- Department of Nursing, Qaen Faculty of Medical Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
3- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran , daliri96@yahoo.com

Abstract: (518 Views)

Background and Aims: Abortion can cause a range of mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for the mother; therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PTSD following abortion and its influencing factors in women aged 15 to 49 in South Khorasan Province (Birjand and Qaen cities), Iran.
Materials and Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in 2023 on 150 women of reproductive age with a history of spontaneous abortion within the past month of the study. General Health Questionnaire-28 and demographic information questionnaires were used to assess PTSD. Eligible individuals were selected using a purposive sampling method and completed the questionnaires at baseline and 4 months later. Data were analyzed using STATA statistical software (version 17) and independent t-tests, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test, and one-way analysis of variance. Finally, linear regression modeling was used to analyze the relationships between variables.
Results: The mean age of women in this study was 29±5.1 years. The prevalence of PTSD was 31.3% in the first month after abortion (8.23-8.38) with a mean score of 28.24±14.88 and 4% in the fifth month (0.7-8.2) with a mean score of 14.34±10.05 (P<0.001). This decrease in scores for all PCL dimensions was maintained in the fifth month (P<0.001). In the first month after abortion, maternal age was the only variable affecting the decrease in PTSD scores (P<0.045). In the fifth month, maternal age (P<0.002) and a history of previous abortion (P<0.003) were associated with decreased PTSD scores.
Conclusion: The results showed that the prevalence of PTSD was high in the first month after abortion and decreased in the fifth month. Considering the possible role of age and history of abortion in the severity of symptoms, the necessity of psychological screening in the first months after abortion, and providing psychological support is recommended, especially for young women with no previous abortion experience.

Keywords: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Pregnancy loss, Spontaneous abortion

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Type of Study: Original Article | Subject: Gynecology & Obstetrics
Received: 2025/09/8 | Accepted: 2025/11/3 | ePublished ahead of print: 2025/12/6 | ePublished: 2025/11/11

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