Miscarriage and social media

As noted in this recent article in USA Today, couples deal with loss and bereave miscarriages in different ways.

For many, it easier to keep the loss to a very small circle and mourne
the loss privately.  These couples prefer not to involve even close
friends for various reasons.  One reason is that they prefer to keep
the privacy of the miscarriage.  Another reason is that they do not
want to burden others with their loss.  The use of social media to
announce the loss of a pregnancy demonstrates another way of dealing
with a difficult time.  For these couples, they do not mind the
openness of their loss.  It is balanced by an outpouring of support
from friends and family around them that helps them deal with the
loss.

For many who are comfortable with this avenue of communication,
Facebook and social media offers a new way to gain support.
Miscarriage is not an uncommon event and can occur in 1 out of 5
pregnancies.  Having friends and family around who can share their own
personal experiences can often help women and couples overcome this
difficult time to try again.  Besides social media, there are many
other options such as online forums like this, and groups that help
specifically with pregnancy loss. Couples should each find what method
works best for them.

 

Andy Huang, M. D.