A few stats on miscarriage - Pregnancy/Infant Loss Awareness Month

I saw this on Facebook so I don't know who to attribute it to. If you know, please tell me so I can provide proper attribution.

 When a lot of people think of October, they think of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you've been reading my blog at all this month, you also know that it's Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month as well. As breast cancer awareness is near and dear to the hearts of many, pregnancy and infant loss awareness is near and dear to mine and I feel there needs to be more information available for women about it. Women need to know about their bodies and what may happen to them, not as a scare tactic but so that they can then be aware.

It seems as though you can go to the doctor and get pamphlets and information sheets about just about everything a woman may experience in her lifetime - her first period, menopause, breast cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, getting pregnant, childbirth, the list goes on. I have seen a lot of doctors over the years and can honestly say that I've yet to see a pamphlet or info sheet about miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy or any other type of pregnancy loss given proactively. I have only been given such information after miscarriage has been suspected or confirmed, never before. Maybe I've been going to the wrong doctors or looking in the wrong places and I applaud any doctor who makes such information available to his/her patients.

Maybe the lack of pamphlets, info sheets and information in general is because many women believe they'll never experience miscarriage/pregnancy loss. Maybe the lack of proactive information has to do with the fact that most, not even many, most, miscarriages can't be prevented, but you can certainly take steps to lower your risk of STDs and ease the transition of menopause.

The sad fact is that it is more likely you will experience some type of pregnancy loss than you will get breast cancer and women need to know this. I understand that pregnancy is supposed to be a happy time in a woman's life, but knowing the risks, signs, symptoms and having information does not have to take away from that happiness.

According to a National Cancer Institute fact sheet, "Based on rates from 2007-2009, 12.38% of women born today will be diagnosed with cancer of the breast at some time during their lifetime. This number can also be expressed as 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with cancer of the breast during their lifetime."

Miscarriages - the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation - on the other hand, are just as common, if not more so. According to the American Pregnancy Association, "For women in their childbearing years, the chances of having a miscarriage can range from 10-25%, and in most healthy women the average is about a 15-20% chance." This statistic does not reflect those who will experience a loss after 20 weeks gestation - also called a stillbirth.

That can be a startling statistic to read and comprehend fully. Read it again. About 1 in every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. On average, 1 out of every 6 women will experience a miscarriage.

It can be hard to picture a statistic like that so here's a graphic I came up with to help out. See that circled lady in the lineup of other ladies in pink dresses? That's the equivalent of 1 in 8 getting breast cancer.

Now see this circled pink lady? She's the same as 1 in 6 experiencing a miscarriage.

It happens more than some would like to admit and the only way to take away the tabooness of the subject is to talk about it and get the information out.

Is it hard to talk about? Yes.

Can I talk about any of my miscarriages without getting misty eyed? Not really.

Does that mean I don't want to talk about them? Not at all. I would gladly share my stories 100 times over if it meant that just one woman out there didn't feel alone while she went through her miscarriage.

How can you help? If you're a female, read about it. Read the stories of women who have been kind enough to share. Read the statistics, signs, symptoms, treatments, etc. Not to scare yourself and not to cause unnecessary stress, but just so that you have the information and if nothing else, you can be a better listener, friend, partner, sister, mother, aunt, cousin, grandmother to someone who is experiencing a miscarriage.

There are many, many great resources out there. There are books, informational websites, Facebook groups, forum sites, and many, many other places to get and share information and support.