Women tend to shy away from the subject of miscarriages, mostly because they feel there is a stigma attached to it. With there already being so much societal pressure on them to have babies, when women who choose to become mothers get pregnant they are told by their doctors not to spread the “good news” until after the first trimester . This is because the first twelve weeks is the most crucial stage of pregnancy and their bodies, for whatever reason — be it biological or environmental — could reject the pregnancy. This is referred to as a “miscarriage.” A miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy during the first 24 weeks of gestation.
So why the stigma behind miscarriage? Because women feel that if they talk openly about it with family or friends, they will be judged. People may make cruel statements, like “something must be wrong with her…” or “she chose to have the baby too late that’s why her body rejected it…” The myth is that if you’re young and healthy, you shouldn’t lose a baby. But that’s far from the truth.
Let’s look at some facts about miscarriages that have helped to reduce stigma and make this a topic of more open discussion.
● Even though you might feel like you’re all alone, you’re not. Miscarriages are extremely common. It is estimated that somewhere between 15 to 20% of all confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage. Some people have higher risk, with identifiable risk factors, but a miscarriage can happen to anyone.
● While early miscarriage is defined as pregnancy loss during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (first trimester) and occurs in 15 to 20% of pregnancies, late miscarriage occurs during 12 to 24 weeks of pregnancy (second trimester) and occurs in 1 – 2% of pregnancies.
● A chemical pregnancy is an early miscarriage where the pregnancy test result is positive but the pregnancy does not progress to a point where it is seen via ultrasound. If miscarriage occurs after the pregnancy is seen on ultrasound, it is called a “clinical” miscarriage.
● Only 0.5 to 1% of women experience three or more successive miscarriages. This condition is known as recurrent miscarriage or recurrent pregnancy loss.
● The causes of miscarriages are often unknown. Almost 50% of early miscarriages can be due to chromosomal abnormalities in the foetus. These include numerical (having an extra chromosome like Trisomy 21 or Down syndrome), or loss of a chromosome (e.g. 45 XO, Turner syndrome), or having an extra set of chromosomes (Triploidy), or structural abnormalities.
● The age of both parents has a significant role in miscarriage. The incidence of miscarriage is increased if the parents are 35 years old or older and it is 50% higher if the mother is 42 years of age.
Now that you’re armed with more facts, you can rest assured knowing that you’re not alone. If you have suffered a miscarriage, know that it is okay to grieve. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Who feels it knows it and from the moment you are pregnant, only you can understand the connection you have with your unborn child.
As painful as it may have been, having experienced this loss means that you can now arm yourself with a wealth of factual information on miscarriage, identify your risks, do all of the required tests and discuss openly with your doctor what your options are for future pregnancies.
Remember, you’re not alone and it is absolutely okay to hurt, to cry and totally normal to grieve the loss of the fruit of your womb. And one of the best ways to heal is by discussing your experience with trusted family and friends, who will offer you an abundance of emotional support.
Alicia Roopnaraine is a Psychologist. You can send questions or comments to her at aliciaroopnaraine@gmail.com
