SPONTANEOUS-ABORTION AND PSYCHOSOMATICS - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL-FACTORS AS A CAUSE FOR RECURRENT SPONTANEOUS-ABORTION

A group of 36 patients who had had at least two consecutive spontaneou s abortions and who desired to have children was subjected to a psycho somatic investigation before a biomedical diagnostic screening program me was started, A semi-structured interview regarding sociodemographic data, current relationship, social support, education, occupation and medical anamnesis was carried out, In addition, all women completed f our standardized questionnaires on the topics of anxiety, somatization disorder, life satisfaction and depression, A control group of 36 wom en, matched for age and occupation, was subjected to the same psychoso matic investigation, The findings of the diagnostic screening programm e showed that 16 women had abortions because of physical abnormality a nd 15 women had no physically confirmed cause (in five women, the inve stigations were not completed), Following recurrent spontaneous aborti on, 18 women had a successful pregnancy within 2 years, and 18 women w ere still childless, The comparison between patients and the control g roup revealed that patients with recurrent abortion were significantly more satisfied with their life quality regarding leisure time, financ ial situation and occupation, No significant differences were observed in any other variables, Patients who suffered spontaneous abortions d ue to a physical disorder show ed partner relationship of longer durat ion, and more frequent miscarriages, Women with successful pregnancy w ithin 2 years after recurrent miscarriage were significantly younger a nd had fewer physically related abortions compared with women who rema ined childless, In summary, psychological factors seem to be of subord inate importance as a cause for recurrent spontaneous abortion. Moreov er, physical abnormalities in the reproductive system have a predomina nt impact on the prediction of a future successful pregnancy.