Pregnancy loss can include miscarriage, recurrent loss, failed IVF transfer, neonatal loss, stillbirth, late-term/genetics terminations, and abortion. These experiences can bring up a profound sense of loss which can be both physically and emotionally overwhelming and may bring up feelings of sadness, grief anger, anxiety, or depression.

Some common experiences after pregnancy loss include:

• grief which may show up as overwhelming sadness or feeling emotionally exhausted

• depression which may show up as feeling physically weak or exhausted, numb, heavy, or unmotivated

• feeling of anger at yourself, others, or the medical system

• anxiety which may show up as bodily tension, irritability, racing thoughts, panic attacks, or insomnia

• difficulty relating with others: your partner, friends, family

• feelings of envy and resentment towards others

• feeling alone and isolated

Our culture does not have many practices for mourning a pregnancy loss and many women and their partners feel alone with their feelings of grief. One of the challenges aspects of pregnancy loss is that it often unrecognized by other people. In the case of miscarriage, some women may not have shared their pregnancy with others during their first term and thus may be dealing with the pregnancy loss alone or are left in the difficult position of telling others of both the pregnancy and the loss at the same time.