Abstract

Background: Pregnancy loss is a distressing event that causes serious psychological consequences, particularly depression. However, in Vietnam, attention has primarily focused on postpartum depression, whereas mental health following pregnancy loss remains under-researched.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 64 women who experienced pregnancy loss (including miscarriage and missed abortion) within two weeks of the event at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Hue University, from January to May 2025. The risk of depression was screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) with a cutoff score of ≥ 13.

Results: The mean maternal age was 33.91 ± 5.02 years, and the mean gestational age was 8.72 ± 3.91 weeks. Common clinical symptoms included vaginal bleeding (40.6%) and lower abdominal pain (30.3%). The prevalence of depression risk following pregnancy loss was 37.5%. Multivariate regression analysis identified three independent factors associated with the risk of depression: history of miscarriage (OR = 5.588; p = 0.012), financial pressure (OR = 5.542; p = 0.024), and spousal support (OR = 0.165; p = 0.008).

Conclusion: The prevalence of depression risk following pregnancy loss is high. A history of miscarriage, financial stress, and a lack of spousal support are the main risk factors. Routine psychological screening is necessary to provide timely intervention for this population.