Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
At least 1 in 8 pregnancies end in miscarriage. If you’ve experienced this type of loss, you already know that October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
As intended parents, it broke our collective hearts to learn of Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s loss, on the first day of October. We feel their pain, and are buoyed up by their courage. Hopeful parents everywhere have expressed gratitude to this brave twosome, who were willing to go public, with this all-too-common experience.
Miscarriage can happen to anyone, at any age, whether they already have a child, or not.
As women age, the chances of miscarriage escalate. Women like Teigen, who are under 35, have around a 15 percent chance of experiencing pregnancy loss. That rate climbs to between 20 and 35 percent, in women aged 35 - 45.
There are many reasons why pregnancy loss can occur, and most are not related to aging eggs. Genetic abnormality of the embryo, exposure to toxins, infections, and uterine abnormalities may all play a role.
If you’ve experienced multiple miscarriages, have certain kinds of diagnoses, or are already in your forties, your doctor may recommend egg donation to you.
Conditions which might warrant the help of an egg donor include:
- Primary ovarian insufficiency
- Advanced maternal age (diminished ovarian reserve)
- Genetically transmitted conditions, such as cystic fibrosis
- History of IVF failure
In some instances, a gestational carrier may also be recommended. A gestational carrier may be used in conjunction with an egg donor, or, can carry embryos made from your own gametes, if your eggs are viable for pregnancy.
Conditions which might warrant the help of a surrogate include:
- Same-sex male couples
- Being a single man
- History of ectopic pregnancies
- Hysterectomy
- Congenital uterine abnormality
- Require medications which might harm a fetus
- History of recurrent miscarriage
Miscarriage is devastating, but does not have to be an insurmountable barrier to parenthood. If you have had one or more miscarriages, talk to your doctor about solutions which might help.
It is also important for both partners, if you’re in a couple, to take care of themselves and each other emotionally. Talking it out, either in a support group, with a therapist, or with a dear friend who gets it and loves you to pieces, can all be beneficial for healing. You are not alone, and need not go through this journey alone.