Pregnancy can be a time of joy and anticipation, but it can also bring worries and uncertainties. One of the most common concerns for expectant mothers is the possibility of miscarriage. While it's a topic that's often whispered about, it's important to have open, honest conversations about miscarriage to help women feel less alone and more informed. Let's explore the signs and symptoms of miscarriage, and what steps to take if you're concerned. What are the first signs of having a miscarriage? Recognizing the early signs of miscarriage can be crucial for seeking timely medical attention....

Experiencing a missed miscarriage (also known as a “missed abortion”) can be a confusing and emotionally challenging time. One moment, you're planning for your future baby, and the next moment, you're faced with an unexpected loss. Dr. Caledonia Buckheit explains the definition of a missed miscarriage: “...where a pregnancy stops developing, but that the body doesn’t recognize it yet, so no bleeding or cramping.”. It's natural to have questions about what's happening to your body during this difficult period. Many women wonder if their belly will continue to grow or if they'll still experience pregnancy symptoms....

Pregnancy loss is a devastating time in anyone’s life, with about 15% to 20% of pregnancies resulting in miscarriage. Now imagine experiencing multiple pregnancy losses, which is the case for approximately 1% of reproductive-aged women. This is known as recurrent pregnancy loss, or RPL. “Recurrent pregnancy loss is having two or more consecutive first-trimester pregnancy losses,” explains Jessica Ryniec, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at CCRM Fertility in Boston. For women diagnosed with RPL, the effects on their health can be traumatic. Lillian Ostrach, 39, of Flagstaff, AZ, received her RPL diagnosis in March...

NGL, back when I was pregnant with my daughter, I was afraid to have sex with my husband. Questions like, “Will sexual intercourse harm my baby?” or worse, “Can sex cause miscarriage?” ran through my mind day in and day out. We had spent years trying to conceive, so the last thing I wanted was to jeopardize this precious pregnancy. But since delivering my healthy baby girl, I learned I wasn’t alone in my fears. It’s quite common to experience sex hesitancy while expecting.  The good news is that most of my anxieties were completely unfounded....

No matter when pregnancy loss occurs, and no matter which word is used to define the experience, it is a crushing time for the intended parents as they navigate their grief. A pregnancy loss is usually described as either a “miscarriage” or a “stillbirth.” Although “a lot of people use these terms interchangeably,” says Dorothy Bestoyong, DO, an OB/GYN based in Orlando, Florida, “the biggest difference between [miscarriage and stillbirth] is the timeframe or gestational age at which the pregnancy loss occurs.”  The biggest similarity between miscarriage and stillbirth? Neither should ever be dismissed as a...

Pregnancy loss is a traumatic time for most people, so the last thing anyone wants to hear is the word “stress” in the same sentence as “miscarriage.” At the same time, this topic warrants discussion, if anything, to avoid the spread of misinformation. While increased stress can potentially cause some health issues in pregnancy, let's be clear: Stress itself can't trigger a miscarriage. First of all, it’s always important to remember some basic facts about miscarriage, which is the loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 10% to 20%...

Experiencing a miscarriage is a scary and painful time, filled with a rollercoaster of emotions — sadness, fear, loneliness — plus all those uncomfortable and often unfamiliar physical symptoms, like blood clots.  The presence of blood clots, particularly very large ones, can trigger feelings of worry and anxiety. And if you’re unfamiliar with what to expect during a miscarriage, this adds another layer of confusion and concern. We’ve talked with Massachusetts-based physician Jessica Ryniec, MD, a double board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, to help you understand what's normal or not when it comes to blood clots...

Pregnancy can be a time of immense joy, but it can also be accompanied by intense worry and anxiety, especially for those who have experienced loss before. In the digital age, we have access to various online tools designed to provide information and reassurance. One such resource that has gained popularity is the Miscarriage Reassurer. But what exactly is this tool, and should expectant parents rely on it? Let's dive in, so you can manage your expectations as best as possible during pregnancy.  What is the Miscarriage Reassurer? The Miscarriage Reassurer, developed by Datayze, is an...

Finding out your pregnancy is nonviable can be one of the most devastating experiences for an intended parent. Adding to this pain are the multiple — and sometimes confusing — ways pregnancy loss can manifest in the first place. Words like “miscarriage,” “spontaneous abortion,” and “early pregnancy loss” tend to be used interchangeably to describe a nonviable pregnancy within the first 12 weeks. But there’s another term that’s also synonymous with pregnancy loss called a chemical pregnancy that denotes a specific type of early miscarriage. So, what is a chemical pregnancy? “A chemical or biochemical pregnancy is a...

Experiencing a miscarriage can be one of the most emotionally devastating times in a person’s life. The grief, guilt, and sense of emptiness can feel overwhelming, leaving many individuals and couples struggling to find a path toward healing.  While nothing can take the pain away, in recent years, meditation has emerged as a powerful tool for emotional recovery after such a profound loss. So, how exactly can mindfulness and meditation help you get on the path to healing? Read on for practical tips from an expert in the field. Miscarriage affirmations: Your first step to mindfulness...