MISCARRIAGE OR PREGNANCY LOSS IN NIGERIA

“I felt lost and alone and I felt like I failed because I didn’t know how common miscarriages were, because we don’t talk about them.”

Michelle Obama in her autobiography titled “Becoming”

“It turns out that even two committed go-getters with a deep love and robust work ethic can’t will themselves into being pregnant.”

Michelle Obama in her autobiography titled “Becoming”
cramps may be a symptom of pregnancy loss
Always report severe cramps to your doctor

I particularly love these quotes from America’s former first lady. For someone idolised by women all over the world it was an honest admission to a devastating but very common issue. An issue that affects women of reproductive age the world over; pregnancy loss.
It was almost permission for women to acknowledge as valid, their feelings of loss, inadequacy, guilt and confusion at what society perceives as a basic ability of every woman. The ability to conceive and carrying a pregnancy to it’s successful completion.

Experiencing a miscarriage personally opened my eyes to the prospect of it happening to anybody. Speaking about it years after with women I knew exposed me to how close to home it could come. Relatives and friends had experienced it and never talked about it openly. It’s not something we do openly in our society.

What is A Miscarriage?

Pregnancy loss is the spontaneous termination of a pregnancy. If the demise of the baby occurs within the first 3 months to 20 weeks of life in the womb, (or when it would have been considered as viable) it is termed an abortion or miscarriage. However, a loss above 20 weeks is considered a stillbirth.

80% of all pregnancy losses occur within the first 3 months of pregnancy and 15-25% of recognised pregnancies will end in miscarriage. Click here to learn about the common causes of miscarriages.

Finally, you can find out tips on what to do if when a miscarriage occurs here.

A father’s account of pregnancy loss