Advertisement

20 celebrities who have opened up about going through miscarriage

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

The grief and pain that comes with the loss of a baby can have a devastating impact on women, their partners and even members of their extended family.

According to a recent study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and KU Leuven in Belgium, one in six women who lose a baby during pregnancy experiences long-term symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

The research found that one month after pregnancy loss 29 per cent of women suffered from symptoms of PTSD, while almost a quarter (24 per cent) experienced moderate to severe anxiety, and one in nine (11 per cent) had moderate to severe depression.

After nine months, 18 per cent of women still had PTSD, while 17 per cent had moderate to severe anxiety, and six per cent showed signs of moderate to severe depression.

For those grieving the loss of a child, it can often help to know they are not alone and in recent years a number of celebrities have tried to raise awareness by sharing their own personal experiences.

In 2016, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon decided to speak about the pain she suffered at miscarrying a baby in 2011 in the hope of challenging the “assumptions and judgments” made about women who do not have children.

“Sometimes, for whatever reason, having a baby just doesn't happen – no matter how much we might want it to,” Sturgeon said.

“Judgements and assumptions shouldn't be made about what are personal choices and experiences.“

From Beyonce and Gwyneth Paltrow to Mark Zuckerberg and Michelle Obama, many famous faces have made a point to share their stories of pregnancy loss to help provide support and comfort to others going through the same thing.

Click through the gallery above to read quotes from 20 public figures about their own experiences with baby loss.

View this post on Instagram

I want to share with you that I am most likely experiencing a miscarriage. I always promised myself that if I were to get pregnant again, I would share the news with you guys pretty early, even if that means suffering a public loss. I have always been so open with you all about my family, fitness, pregnancies...and I don’t want to keep this from you, just because it isn’t as positive and shiny as the rest. I think it’s important to show the truth...because my job is to help people by being real and open. Furthermore, I have no shame or embarrassment with this experience. I want to be a part of the effort to normalize miscarriage and remove the stigma from it. There is so much secrecy during the first trimester. This works for some, but I personally find it to be exhausting. I’m nauseous, tired, my body is changing. And I have to pretend that everything is just fine—and it truly isn’t. I don’t want to have to pretend anymore. I hope you understand. So, this is what is going on now: the embryo has a heartbeat, but it isn’t strong, and the baby isn’t growing very much. So we wait—and this is hard. So much uncertainty...but the chances are very, very small that this is a viable pregnancy. I have complete confidence that my family and I will get through this, even if the journey is difficult. I am so blessed with my amazing doctor, my dear friends, and my loving family...My husband and my four very healthy babies help me keep it together and have the perspective of how truly beautiful life is, even when it occasionally seems ugly. The luck and gratitude I feel that I am my babies’ mommy, is wonderfully overwhelming and comforting. In your comments, please be kind. I’m feeling a bit fragile and I need support. I’m hoping, that by sharing this, I can contribute to raising awareness about this sensitive topic.

A post shared by Hilaria Thomas Baldwin (@hilariabaldwin) on Apr 4, 2019 at 6:47am PDT

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk. The helpline is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and until 9.30pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

You can also find bereavement support at The Lullaby Trust by calling 0808 802 6868 or emailing support@lullabytrust.org.uk.