Pregnancy Loss

Pregnancy loss AKA miscarriage.

Let’s scrap the term miscarriage. Breaking it down; mis meaning ‘mistakenly’, ‘wrongly’ or ‘badly’ and carriage a ‘means of conveyance’.

The ‘mis’ portion is inaccurate and potentially harmful language. Most losses do not occur from a mistaken, bad or wrong action on the mothers part, they are caused by chromosomal anomalies.

Language is so important, particularly in the space of a mother grieving and perhaps feeling guilty for her loss. Using the term natural pregnancy loss may help remind the mother the loss reflects what a healthy body should do with an embryo, sadly, not compatible with life. Pregnancy loss, truly reflects what it is… a loss.

I have experienced my own pregnancy loss. It was the one of the most shocking and devastating experiences of my life, the rawness and anguish of this experience was totally new to me and something I will never forget.

I think it’s important to share this as it’s still such a taboo subject and as we know, is very common.

I feel many women do not have the space to share their emotions and grief. With early pregnancy loss, where the baby we’re growing is scientifically referred to as an ‘embryo’ or foetus’, it can undermine or invalidate our feelings surrounding our loss, when most of us know, that little soul, no matter how small, meant much more than that, it’s plans, dreams and deeply loved already.

"Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It's all the love you want to give but can not. All of that unspent love gathers up in the corner of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in the hollow parts of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go."