Kobe Bryant -- Vanessa Miscarried During Rape Case ... I Blame Myself

Kobe Bryant says his wife Vanessa Bryant miscarried in 2004 ... right in the thick of his rape case in Colorado ... and says he blames no one but himself.

Bryant opened up about the situation in his Showtime documentary "Muse" -- and while he never specifically mentions the case, it's crystal clear what he's talking about.

During the segment titled "2004" ... the year of the hearing (which was eventually dismissed when the accuser refused to testify) ... Kobe says:

"We were expecting ... and um ... expecting our second child during that time ... and there was just so much stress, she actually, she actually miscarried."

"It's something ... I have a real hard time dealing with that 'cause I felt like it was just my fault."

Kobe added, "The reality is it happened because of me ... that's something I have to deal with. Something I gotta carry forever."