I nodded a mute yes. My partner, Nikolai, held my hand as we left the lab. In my other hand I clutched the sonogram with the indistinct outline of an embryo that would never be anything more. We've lost five pregnancies in less than two years. Yet, as we worked our way through a maze of doctors and tests, we discovered we're far from alone.
Miscarriage is a surprisingly frequent aspect of many couples' journey to parenthood.
Understanding the causes, frequency and emotional impact of miscarriage can help couples cope with these losses. It's now generally accepted by medical professionals that 50 to 60 percent of first pregnancies miscarry. Often the woman doesn't even know it because she didn't know she was pregnant. Nearly 1 percent of women trying to have a baby will experience three or more miscarriages. But when it happens to you, statistics are irrelevant.