The Danger of Suffering Miscarriage Alone

By: Maria Servold EPLA Editor

On Nov. 25, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, announced in a New York Times opinion piece that she suffered a miscarriage in July. The duchess follows in the footsteps of other brave women who have spoken publicly about their miscarriages, encouraging conversation and healing about the once-taboo subject.
 
Including heartbreaking and all-too-familiar details about the sudden onset of cramping one morning, Markle reflected on the loss, its impact on her and her family, and the isolation the pandemic compounded on the miscarriage.
 
One of the most important points Markle makes in her piece is that it is dangerous to live too alone, particularly in times of suffering. She writes:
This, I realize, is the danger of siloed living — where moments sad, scary or sacrosanct are all lived out alone. There is no one stopping to ask, “Are you OK?”

Throughout 2020, we have all felt “siloed,” due to sickness or stay-at-home orders or fear. But this is not how we are meant to live, especially when we are suffering. During a miscarriage, a mother and her family are in special need of support. During a pandemic, it is necessarily harder to spend time with loved ones, but that does not mean that sufferings like miscarriages will be put on hold. 

In times like this, it is especially important that mothers suffering loss reach out to those around them (in person or virtually) to find support. If you know someone who has suffered a miscarriage, ask how you can help them. Maybe it’s just a phone call or meal delivery, but it will make a difference if you ask, “Are you OK?,” as Markle said. 

This year, the Early Pregnancy Loss Association has worked hard to continue supporting women and families suffering early pregnancy loss, despite the pandemic. A new partnership with Metro Detroit Share in Michigan allowed us to distribute 500 small Miscarriage Care Kits to women around the state - our largest partnership and care kit distribution to date. 
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We will continue to support women and families, no matter the difficulties, and we thank Duchess Meghan for her brave words and encouragement of other mothers. 

Maria Servold is an Editor at the EPLA, Assistant Director of the Herbert H. Dow II Program in American Journalism, and Lecturer in Journalism at Hillsdale College.