What I Wish I’d Known Before Having a Miscarriage
Last week, after 11 weeks of pregnancy, I had a miscarriage. Nothing prepared me for what would happen next.
Trigger warning: this article contains a graphic description of miscarriage and its physical symptoms.
The internet and pregnancy books are full of information about what to expect when you’re expecting. What foods to avoid, which supplements to take, and how to prepare for labour. But when it comes to miscarriage, the information is scarce.
Since 1 in 5 pregnancies don’t make it past the 12-week mark, it’s considered rather normal for people not to announce their pregnancies until they’re in the “safe zone” — but as a result, most people don’t talk about their miscarriages either. It’s only when one person opens up about their experience which then prompts others to share their stories too, that we begin to realise just how common it actually is.
Sadly, the lack of information and taboo surrounding early pregnancy loss means that many women have to go through the experience completely unprepared, which is why I decided to open up and vulnerably share my own experience.
