Experiences of miscarriage

Losing a child during pregnancy is a subject that is not often talked about but can be traumatic and, in some cultures, even lead to feelings of shame.

We bring together two couples who share their experiences of miscarriage. They discuss the strain it has put on their relationships and the support offered – or not – to those grieving.

“You are grieving for someone that you’ve never met, and you never will get to know, but you still feel sad,” Catharina in Sweden tells us. “So even though I try to be rational about it, it was very difficult because my feelings and my body was telling me something completely different.”

Earlier this month, Northern Ireland became the first part of the UK where a woman and her partner are entitled to two weeks of paid leave if they experience a miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy.

New Zealand, India, and the Philippines also have laws aimed at supporting grieving couples as they deal with the trauma of miscarriage and come to terms with the loss of their unborn child.

Presenter: James Reynolds
BBC producer: Adam Chowdhury
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editor: Harriet Oliver and Arja Haikonen

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC World Service Outside Source team.

(Photo: Anonymous woman. Credit: Phil Coomes)