Women tend to shy away from the topic of miscarriages, mainly because they feel stigmatized. Because they are already under so much social pressure to have babies, when women who choose to conceive mothers become pregnant their doctors are told not to spread the “good news” until after the first season. This is because the first twelve weeks are the most crucial stage of pregnancy and their bodies could, for whatever reason – biological or environmental – reject the pregnancy. This is referred to as a “miscarriage.” A miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of pregnancy during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.
So why the stigma behind miscarriage? Because women feel that if they talk openly about it to family or friends, they will be judged. People may make cruel statements, such as “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, if you’re young and well, you should not 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 more open topic.
● Although you may feel that you are all alone, you are not. Maladministrations are extremely common. It is estimated that somewhere between 15 to 20% of all confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage. Some people are at higher risk, with identifiable risk factors, but a miscarriage can happen to anyone.
● Although early miscarriage is defined as loss of pregnancy during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (first term) and occurs in 15 to 20% of pregnancies, late miscarriage occurs during 12 to 24 weeks of pregnancy (second term) ) and occurs in 1 – 2% of pregnancies.
● 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 by ultrasound. If a miscarriage occurs after the pregnancy has been seen on ultrasound, it is called a “clinical” miscarriage.
● Only 0.5 to 1% of women experience three or more consecutive miscarriages. This condition is called recurrent miscarriage or regular pregnancy loss.
● Causes of miscarriages are often unknown. Nearly 50% of early miscarriages may be due to chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. These include numerical (having an extra chromosome such as Trisomy 21 or Down syndrome), or losing a chromosome (eg 45 XO, Turner syndrome), or having an extra set of chromosomes (Triploidy), or structural abnormalities.
● The age of both parents plays a significant role in miscarriage. The incidence of miscarriage increases if the parents are 35 or over and 50% higher if the mother is 42.
Now that you are armed with more facts, you can be reassured knowing that you are not alone. If you have suffered a miscarriage, you know that it is okay to mourn. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Who feels he knows it and from the moment you are pregnant you can only understand the connection you have with your unborn child.
As painful as it may be, having experienced this loss means you can now equip yourself with a wealth of factual information on miscarriage, identify your risks, carry out all the required tests and openly discuss with your doctor what are your options for the future. pregnancy.
Remember, you are not alone and it is perfectly normal to hurt, cry and completely normal to mourn the loss of your womb. And one of the best ways to improve is by discussing your experience with trusted family and friends, who will offer you plenty of emotional support.
Alicia Roopnaraine is a Psychologist. You can send her questions or comments at [email protected]