“One week we were bringing a child into the world and then we weren’t – there was this deep sense of loss.” – Daniel

The death of a baby at any stage of pregnancy can be a very sad and distressing time. Even at an early gestation parents are already busy preparing for a new life with their baby. Suddenly and unexpectedly their plans come to an end. 

Early pregnancy loss is the loss of a pregnancy prior to 20 weeks gestation. The term is a broad one, encompassing miscarriage, ectopic, molar and any other loss that occurs prior to 20 weeks.  

There are many medical terms that describe how a pregnancy has ended. Sometimes these can be confusing or distressing to hear. To help you understand what your body may go through during miscarriage the brochure Pregnancy Loss by Sands and RANZCOG may help. 

To help you understand the complex range of emotions you may experience after pregnancy loss our fact sheet on early pregnancy loss answers some common questions you may have about what will happen to you and your baby, how to cope with grief, managing other people’s reactions to your news, returning to work, coping with subsequent pregnancies and more. 

Download our Early Pregnancy Loss fact sheet

Pregnancy Loss by Sands and RANZCOG

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