How to Cope with Pregnancy Loss?
By Dr. Nutan Pakhare
Introduction
Most pregnancy losses occur during the first trimester, which affects one in four pregnancies. Pregnancy loss refers to the loss of an unborn child during pregnancy.
The most common symptom of pregnancy loss is vaginal bleeding. There are times, however, when uterine bleeding is absent. Pregnant women often don’t even realize they are pregnant at this early stage.
A woman who loses a pregnancy more than once or twice is known as having recurrent pregnancy loss. More testing may be needed for couples.
Loss can be viewed positively if we understand the reasons why it occurs. Here are some reasons why you should cope up with your pregnancy loss positively:
- Miscarriage. Spontaneous vaginal bleeding after 13 weeks of pregnancy.
- Tubal pregnancy- In the uterus, the fetus does not develop. It may occur in a fallopian tube, cervix, pelvis, or abdomen.
- The molar pregnancy. It is abnormal for the placenta and fetal tissues to develop.
- Stillbirth – During pregnancy, a 20-week-old foetus dies and no vaginal bleeding occurs.
- Pregnancy at the embryonic stage. Embryos are never formed from fertilized eggs
Multiple risk factors contribute to this, such as:
- Ageing – Pregnancy in an older mother
- Past History of pregnancy loss
- Trauma or injury
- TORCH infections Among these are Toxoplasmosis, HIV, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes simplex
- The uterus may be scarred, abnormally shaped, or have fibroids.
- Incompetent cervix (incompetent ovary): The uterus cannot remain closed during pregnancy
- Smoking and drinking alcohol
- Consumption of drugs, caffeine, or cocaine, exposure to anticancer medicines
- Metabolic disorders like Hypertension, obesity or underweight or diabetes mellitus
- Autoimmune disease when his or her body produces antibodies against its own normal tissues, such as lupus or Jhogran’s disease
- Hormonal imbalances may be caused by low progesterone levels or thyroid problem
- Nutritional deficiencies or anaemia
Pregnancy loss is one of the most devastating experiences that a woman can have. It can be emotionally, physically and spiritually draining.
The first step in coping up with pregnancy loss is to accept that it happened and start talking about it with your partner and loved ones.
The second step is finding support groups where you can share your feelings with other women who have suffered losses like yours or listen to their stories so that you can learn from their experience as well.
1. Know your feelings are valid
Pregnancy loss is a very common experience. You may feel sad and confused, as well as angry or guilty. There’s no right or wrong way to feel; your feelings are valid.
You may have a range of feelings, including anger, guilt and shock—but it’s important that you understand that these emotions are normal.
2. Talk to your partner
You can’t assume that everyone has the same reaction to pregnancy loss as you do. Some people will be distressed, others will be fine and some may not even feel anything at all. If you are struggling with your feelings, don’t bottle them up inside of yourself; talk about them with your partner or a friend who has been through this before.
When talking about your feelings with someone else, try not to feel guilty if you feel sad or angry—you are allowed to feel these things! You need support from others too because sometimes it helps us process our emotions better when we share them openly with others close by.
3. Talk to friends and family
- Talk to your friends and family.
- Seek help from your friends, who can understand what you are going through. They may be able to offer some advice on how to cope up with pregnancy loss.
- Explain the feelings that you are going through and how they affect your daily life. Your loved ones will help ease their pain by listening carefully to all that has happened in the last few months of your life as well as during this difficult period of time which is now coming up ahead of us all! It would also be wise for them not only talk about their own experiences but also get involved in sharing theirs too so that we can learn from each other’s mistakes instead of repeating them again ourselves later down future days.”
4. Find a support group of other women who have suffered losses.
It is important to find a support group of other women who have suffered losses. Support groups are a good way to meet others who have been through what you’re going through, and can help you feel less alone. You can find support groups online or in person, but it’s also important to look into local mental health organizations that offer free counselling services for postpartum depression or other disorders related with pregnancy loss.
5. Find activities that make you feel good — like exercise, cooking, or whatever appeals to you.
If you’re feeling down, it’s important to find activities that make you feel good. Exercise is a great way for your body to release endorphins, which can help reduce anxiety and depression. Cooking also helps boost mood because it requires focus on what you’re doing and requires planning ahead. Other activities that may help include:
- Writing in a journal
- Listening to music while exercising at the gym or doing housework
- Taking long walks around town or hiking outdoors
6. Do something to honour your baby (like planting a tree or writing a letter).
Another way to honour your baby is by creating a memory box. A memory box is simply an area that contains things that remind you of the pregnancy, such as ultrasound pictures and notes from friends and family members. You can also include any other items that are important to you at this time.
You could even create an online memorial website for your baby’s passing, where people can share their thoughts about what happened through pictures and stories written by other people who knew them during their life together before they passed away or died suddenly due to complications related with pregnancy loss (such as haemorrhage). This will allow others who have been affected by similar tragedies find comfort in knowing there are others out there who understand how difficult it might be sometimes when faced with such painful news!
7. Be patient with yourself
It is important to understand that while you may be feeling like a failure, it is not your fault. You did everything right in terms of taking care of yourself and getting help if needed. It’s just that sometimes things don’t work out as planned or expected and this is one of those cases.
It’s okay to feel like this, but please remember that there’s nothing wrong with being disappointed or upset because we all have our own opinions on how things should turn out in life or even during pregnancy loss specifically! So take your time with yourself when healing from such a traumatic experience; don’t rush through the process either!
8. Coping up with pregnancy loss is only possible by love, care and support from your loved ones through this difficult time.
Coping up with pregnancy loss is only possible by love, care and support from your loved ones through this difficult time.
Support of family and friends is important during this phase. It helps you to get through the tough times by providing emotional support as well as practical help in coping with the situation. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from them when you need it most!
Conclusion
This is a difficult time but if you are able to cope up with pregnancy loss, it will help you find peace and happiness again. The most important thing, you should know that nature has its own way of healing you. You must believe in your ability to conceive a healthy child again. It is important to be able to identify mistakes and get the education you need to minimize them and avoid future pregnancy loss in the future. With good prenatal health care and support, pregnancy loss and grief can be prevented. We are happy to help you with medical consultations and educational courses.
Please feel free to connect with us.