Perinatal grief creates vulnerability to anxiety in subsequent pregnancy: the mediating role of bereavement-related guilt

Aim: This study examines the associations among perinatal grief symptoms, bereavement-related guilt, and pregnancy-related anxiety in subsequent pregnancy within the framework of a hypothesised mourning model.

Method: Pregnant women with history of a perinatal loss were recruited using convenience sampling methods and completed a questionnaire set including the Perinatal Grief Scale, Bereavement Guilt Scale, and Pregnancy-related Anxiety Scale.

Results: Mediation analysis was performed to evaluate the hypothesised model in a sample of pregnant women with history of a perinatal loss (N = 111). The results indicated that bereavement-related guilt functions as a mediator in the relationship between perinatal grief severity and pregnancy-related anxiety experienced in subsequent pregnancies.

Conclusion: These findings were evaluated in light of previous studies, providing a bereavement-based perspective on the potential transmission of the mental effects of perinatal loss to subsequent pregnancy.