Sadly, not all pregnancies end well. Sometimes, the joy of expecting is cut short by the crushing loss of miscarriage.

It’s estimated that about 10%-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. In a Wiser Pregnancy survey, about 4% of women miscarried their current pregnancy. However, almost two-thirds of these women had had a previous miscarriage.

While miscarriage can be heartbreaking for women, experts used to think that men weren’t that affected by the loss. They simply weren’t attached to the unborn child.

Not so, according to a new study.

While women are more affected by miscarriage, the study found that losing a baby can have a profound effect on both partners.  Just over half of women (52%) and 40% of men reported having significant psychological distress after losing a baby. Falling into depression isn’t uncommon either: 26% of women and 17% of men had serious depression immediately after the event.

Gender does a play a role in grief, though. Women who had seen the fetal heartbeat on ultrasound or had troubled marriages had the toughest time recovering from miscarriage. Men, on the other hand, were likely to be more depressed if the pregnancy was planned.

It takes time to recover physically and mentally after a miscarriage.  If you’re feeling sad or depressed, you don’t need to keep your feelings to yourself.  A counselor and/or support group can help you and your partner in the aftermath of your loss.

Learn more about depression and where to get help. Your doctor may also have some suggestions.

Have you had a miscarriage? What helped you recover?

Morning sickness, sciatica…pregnancy comes with a variety of delightful side effects. While saltines or a heating pad may help, many pregnant women try acupuncture to relieve the symptoms.

Acupuncture, a Chinese healing practice, is based on the concept that inserting tiny needles into certain points in the body helps promote and restore the flow of qi, or energy, in the body.  Restored balance eases physical and mental ailments and symptoms.

But does it work? 

A Wiser Pregnancy survey of more than 1,500 women found that a moms-to-be try acupuncture to treat a range of symptoms. While success varied, many pregnant women did find the treatment effective: Read the rest of this entry »

Pregnancy is a time of joy, anticipation… and mood swings. But when those ups and downs turn to depression, many women – and their partners – are left wondering what to do.

A recent WiserPregnancy survey has found that the majority of pregnant women don’t try to manage the condition on their own. Two-thirds of pregnant women turn to their doctors for help.  (The other one-third don’t seek help.)

Why seek treatment?  For one, depression can put mothers and babies at risk for serious problems during pregnancy and after delivery.  If you’re depressed, you may have trouble eating or sleeping, and you may be more likely to self-medicate with alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Also, depressed moms-to-be are more likely to neglect prenatal care.

Read the rest of this entry »