Motherhood is said to epitomize the meaning of being a woman. Life is all about fate; and decisions are part and parcel of it all. There are things that we have absolute control of; but there are some which we cannot really manipulate. As with being a mother, a baby becomes a source of bliss and inspiration from the time of conception until birth. Hope and anticipation keeps the spirit of the mother alive in waiting for her baby’s arrival into the world. But, there are certain complications while pregnant where the baby – as well as the mother – is put into high risk; and sometimes you end up losing your baby – you get a miscarriage. This is a sad reality of motherhood; but it happens every day for biological as well as psychological reasons.
Miscarriage is medically defined as the spontaneous abortion or cessation of pregnancy because of some biological factors wherein the fetus cannot survive the entire length of pregnancy. The baby’s critical stage for survival is in the 1st trimester because most miscarriages happen at this point in pregnancy as the World Health organization (WHO) pointed out. Causes for miscarriages vary widely such as diabetes, chromosomal abnormalities, maternal infections, collagen vascular diseases, and abnormal anatomy of the uterus; to name a few. Even a woman’s age upon conception can affect the life of the fetus; although this doesn’t hold true to all. Other invasive and noninvasive procedures such as amniocentesis can also cause miscarriages.
It is always advisable to have prenatal checkups as early as your first week of suspected pregnancy; so that your obstetrician-gynecologist can guide and examine you all throughout this pregnancy phase. A healthy and positive lifestyle should always be observed especially if you are pregnant; do away from vices or unfavorable activities that can harm you and your baby in the womb. Some of the common signs of miscarriage will usually start with headaches, nausea, mild to violent cramps, and bleeding. If you start to notice that something is not right with your pregnancy; immediately consult your physician for any workups or medications that you can take – never ignore your maternal instinct. Do not take any medications without consulting your doctor; as this can harm your baby in the process.
When the inevitable becomes real, moms can lose their babies in an instant – a horror story for all mothers. It is not Freddy Krueger alone who can take away babies in one frightful sweep; miscarriages are real and it can happen to anyone. Even though things are said to happen for some legitimate reason; the pain of losing a baby is incomparable for mothers. Coping with this sad fate can be difficult for most expectant mothers; and moving on is a lifelong process as it seems. You will need the support of your partner, family, friends, and the whole community. It helps to get professional counseling if you need to.
Allow yourself to grieve; and in time, everything will heal up and you will realize that things will be better and you can move on and ahead with life and start anew – when you know that you have an angel staring at you from heaven’s gate.