Evaluations of Treatments and Post-Abortion Healing Methods

Studies related to evaluating post-abortion treatment methods

A multi-component psychosocial intervention programme to reduce psychological distress and enhance social support for women undergoing termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly in China: A randomised controlled trial. Qin C, Li Y, Wang Y, Huang C, Xiao G, Zeng L, He Y, Jiang W, Xie J Int J Nurs Stud Adv. 2025 Jul 29;9:100389. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2025.100389. PMID: 40822251; PMCID: PMC12357282.

Background

Termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly causes significant psychological distress, yet evidence-based psychosocial interventions tailored to the needs of women experiencing termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly remain limited.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component psychosocial intervention designed to reduce depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and enhance psychological flexibility and social support among women following termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly.

Methods

A single-blinded, two-arm randomised controlled trial was conducted in two maternity hospitals in Hunan Province, China. Eighty-six participants were randomly allocated to the multi-component psychosocial intervention group (n = 41) or the control group (n = 45). The multi-component psychosocial intervention included informational support, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and social support involving an online peer support group and family engagement. Depression, PTSD, psychological flexibility and social support were assessed at baseline, immediately (T1), one-month (T2) and three-months (T3) post-intervention.

Results

Although the intervention group showed greater reductions in depressive symptoms (EPDS: β = 0.92, 95 % CI: –1.38 to 3.21, p = 0.435) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (IES-R: β = 5.31, 95 % CI: –1.25 to 11.86, p = 0.113) compared to the control group, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Significant group-by-time effects emerged for PTSD-related avoidance symptoms (β = 2.98, 95 % CI: 0.27 to 5.70, p = 0.031; d = 0.49), perceived social support (β = –1.56, 95 % CI: –3.10 to –0.02, p = 0.047; d = 0.38) and utilisation of social support (-0.83, 95 % CI: -1.48 to -0.18, p = 0.013; d = 0.55) at T3. Participants with baseline EPDS > 9 (n = 54) showed stronger effects, with significant improvements in depression (β = 2.02, 95 % CI: 0.38 to 3.66, p = 0.016) and experiential avoidance (β = 2.54, 95 % CI: 0.30 to 4.78; p = 0.026) at T1, PTSD (β = 11.75, 95 % CI: 2.39 to 21.12, p = 0.014; d = 0.61) and utilisation of social support (β = -0.95, 95 % CI: -1.85 to -0.04; p = 0.040, d = 0.65) at T3. No adverse events occurred.

Conclusions

The multi-component psychosocial intervention programme reduced PTSD-related avoidance symptoms and enhanced social support. Participants with depressive symptoms experienced immediate improvements in depression and psychological flexibility, with sustained benefits in PTSD and utilisation of social support over three months. Tailoring the intervention components to individual needs may benefit women undergoing termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly. Further research should compare women with and without baseline psychological distress to determine who benefits most from this intervention.

Effectiveness of group psychotherapy for adult outpatients traumatized by abuse, neglect, and/or pregnancy loss: a multiple-site, pre-post-follow-up, naturalistic study. Simon W, Śliwka P. Int J Group Psychother. 2012 Apr;62(2):283-308. doi: 10.1521/ijgp.2012.62.2.283.

The New Experience for Survivors of Trauma (NEST) is a group psychotherapy intervention for clients traumatized by consequences of abuse, neglect, and pregnancy loss. This multiple site study is the first investigation of its effectiveness. Ninety outpatients from a naturalistic setting completed the Symptom Checklist and the Sense of Coherence questionnaire at baseline, end of treatment, and one-year follow-up. Effectiveness was tested with statistical significance, effect size, and clinical significance. Clients from the total sample as well as from the abortion subsample showed improvement at the end of treatment and at follow-up. Lack of a control group is balanced to some extent by the high ecological validity. The findings suggest that the NEST treatment may be beneficial for traumatized clients and call for further research.

Using Prolonged Exposure to Treat Abortion-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Alcohol Dependent Men: A Case Study. Baker A1, Morrison JA, Coffey SF. Clin Case Stud. 2011 Dec;10(6):427-439.

Men's reactions to a partner's abortion are an understudied area. Few studies have examined abortion as it relates to posttraumatic stressdisorder (PTSD) in males, and no studies have examined the use of an empirically supported behavioral treatment for PTSD in this population. The current case study examines Prolonged Exposure for the treatment of abortion-related PTSD in a 46-year old Caucasian male who also has alcohol dependence. The patient was involved in a residential substance abuse treatment program at the time of treatment. After receiving 12 sessions of Prolonged Exposure, the patient experienced a decrease in PTSD symptoms as measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Rating Scale (87%) and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (85%). The results of this study suggest that the literature supporting Prolonged Exposure as a first-line treatment for PTSD can be expanded to include men needing treatment for abortion-related PTSD. Implications for treatment and research are discussed.

Efficacy of cognitive behavioral internet-based therapy in parents after the loss of a child during pregnancy: pilot data from a randomized controlled trial. Kersting A1, Kroker K, Schlicht S, Baust K, Wagner B. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2011 Dec;14(6):465-77. doi: 10.1007/s00737-011-0240-4. Epub 2011 Oct 18.

The loss of a child during pregnancy can be a traumatic event associated with long-lasting grief and psychological distress. This study examined the efficacy of an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy program for mothers after pregnancy loss. In a randomized controlled trial with a waiting list control group, 83 participants who had lost a child during pregnancy were randomly allocated either to 5 weeks of internet therapy or to a 5-week waiting condition. Within a manualized cognitive behavioral treatment program, participants wrote ten essays on loss-specific topics. Posttraumatic stress, grief, and general psychopathology, especially depression, were assessed pretreatment, posttreatment, and at 3-month follow-up. Intention-to-treat analyses and completer analyses were performed. Relative to controls, participants in the treatment group showed significant improvements in posttraumatic stress, grief, depression, and overall mental health, but not in anxiety or somatization. Medium to large effect sizes were observed, and the improvement was maintained at 3-month follow-up. This internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy program represents an effective treatment approach with stable effects for women after pregnancy loss. Implementation of the program can thus help to improve the health care provision for mothers in this traumatic loss situation.