[1][2] Even though women can develop long-term psychiatric symptoms after a miscarriage, acknowledging the potential of mental illness is not usually considered.
[3] A mental illness can develop in women who have experienced one or more miscarriages after the event or even years later.
[5] Even if relatively low levels of stress occur after the miscarriage, symptoms of PTSD including flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, dissociation and hyperarousal can later develop.
[11] Men may experience pain and psychological effects but react by adopting "compensatory behaviours" such as increasing consumption of alcohol.
A negative outlook regarding the world in general is correlated with increased levels of PTSD.
[3] PTSD in a mother is suspected to increase the risk of autism, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes in a child.
The grieving process associated with other events such as the loss of a spouse or parent is expected to decline in a predictable and steady rate.
[7][15] Cognitive behavior therapy has been found to be helpful if it is begun immediately after the loss.