AN OVERLOOKED TYPE OF TRAUMA: REPRODUCTIVE TRAUMAS
AN OVERLOOKED TYPE OF TRAUMA: REPRODUCTIVE TRAUMAS
Infertility, miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, complications during pregnancy or childbirth are traumatic experiences within the scope of “Reproductive Traumas”. Reproductive traumas occur frequently in women and men nowadays, but the devastating psychological effects they create are not well seen by the society.
The pain and mourning caused by reproductive traumas are experienced differently by everyone, depending on the content of the process. For example, an individual struggling with infertility is faced with the loss of his dream of becoming a parent, while an individual who has lost his / her baby due to stillbirth is faced with both physical and psychological loss. However, although the nature of the losses may seem different, there is actually a mourning process in both cases.
Reproductive traumas, like other types of grief, have ups and downs and bring with them various emotions. For example, infertility can shatter a person's dreams of becoming a parent, while a complicated pregnancy or abortion can fuel parents' feelings of guilt. Parents who experience reproductive trauma on their first try may feel persistent waves of trauma as they try to have a child again. In short, reproductive traumas are complicated traumas that contain many compelling emotions.
When a physical and social loss occurs (for example, death), social support is given to individuals who experience the mourning process. Thanks to funerals and rituals, it helps to live and complete the grieving process in a healthy way. However, there is no ritual to mourn the loss after reproductive traumas. Therefore, mourning caused by reproductive traumas is mostly experienced alone and inwardly in a consuming way. This can complicate the healing process. In such a situation, getting support from mental health professionals is very important for the recovery process.
Elif Başçelik Yavuz
Expert Clinical Psychologist
Psychology