The tools used to assess psychological symptoms in women and their partners after termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly: A scoping review

Abstract

Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly (TOPFA) represents a uniquely distressing and challenging situation for women and their partners. Having appropriate screening tools that best highlight the psychological symptoms experienced by women and their partners is important to be able to guide care. Many validated screening tools for pregnancy and psychological distress exist, with variation in the ease of application and the domains addressed in each. We undertook a scoping review of tools used to assess psychological symptoms in women and/or partners after TOPFA. Of 909 studies, 93 studies including 6248 women and 885 partners were included. Most of the included studies assessed symptoms within six months of TOPFA and highlighted high rates of distress, grief and trauma symptoms. There was broad variation in the tools used between studies and the timing of their implementation. Focusing the care of women and families who undergo TOPFA to validated, broadly available and easily applied screening tools that assess a range of psychological symptoms is key in being able to identify the potential interventions that may be of benefit.

Keywords: Fetal diagnosis; Psychological support; Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly.