Coping styles as predictors of perinatal grief

Perinatal loss causes psychopathological problems in some women; during grief, psychological resources, such as coping styles are activated to elaborate the loss. The objective of the study was to know the relationship between the type of coping and the intensity of bereavement, as well as to know the coping styles that were reliable predictors for the intensity of perinatal bereavement. A cross-sectional study was conducted, ex post facto with 100 Mexican women who suffered a perinatal loss; the perinatal grief scale translated into Spanish and the scale of coping styles of Lazarus and Folkman were applied. The results show the gestational age, the time elapsed since the loss, the styles of confrontational coping, escape-avoidance and problem solving as good predictors of the intensity of perinatal bereavement. It is concluded that the coping styles impact on the intensity of the grief and it is important focus psychological intervention on it.