Midwives... (triggering)

[WhenWillISleepThroughTheNight]

Hi...

I have just suffered my second second-trimester loss. My world has come crashing down and it seems such an enormous event to me.

I looked online and it said that 1-3% of pregnancies are lost in the second trimester. That's up to one in 30 ladies...

I asked my midwife and she said she doesn't see it that often. She was so kind to me.

I can't get my head around it. Is it really as common as 1 in 30? Even 1 in 100 seems like a lot.

I was wondering how often you see it as midwives.

I'm sorry to ask but two losses now (and a first trimester one but it's not quite the same). I was trying to figure out my odds... 1-3% x 1-3% but I think the more it happens, the more it's likely to happen again.

I’m so sad to see this and really sorry. I’m not a midwife but have a best friend this happened to twice too, at around 5 months. Heartbreaking and she did end up with two babies born safely in the end but it was very hard to go through that pain.

Is it that only 1-3% of miscarriages happen in the 2nd trimester or that 1-3% of pregnancies as a whole end in 2nd trimester miscarriages? I assume that it’s the former, which would seem more sensible, and also be a lot less likely since you’d have to multiply the 1-3/100 by the chance of a having a miscarriage at all.

Not sure if that makes you feel any better or not. Sorry to hear that you’re going through this :( I don’t know if it makes it any more likely that it will happen again. Think it’s appalling that the nhs don’t investigate until you’ve had three miscarriages. Had you had the 20 week scan yet? X

Thank you both.
On both occasions I had just had the 17 week midwife appointment. The losses are three days apart, two years apart.
They investigate the death as much as they can and offer a post mortem etc. I had a healthy baby in the gap between the two and had a lot of scans. I'm very grateful to the NHS but I suppose a scan can only show so much.

The thing I find so sad is that the placenta is (apparently) the least understood organ in the body... and yet they are freely and easily available every day.

I'm not sure about the statistic. Yes it would make more sense but professor Google isn't very clear.

Perhaps more happen around 14/15 week point than than nearer the 26 week point?
Sorry for your loss xx

@WhenWillISleepThroughTheNight. I am so very sorry for your losses. Sadly I have come across second trimester losses quite often, but that is because I have worked in specialist roles. Many community midwives will come across such losses very infrequently simply because of the timing and circumstances of the loss so they may not see you at that time. If you haven’t already been told about the miscarriage association ( www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk ) I would suggest it may be helpful. They have lots of valuable information and explanations there and you can talk to people who you know really understand.
You are right that there is so much we still don’t understand about why some pregnancies are not able to continue. Not having an explanation is hard to deal with.
Have you been offered support or advice about future pregnancies?

I'm so sorry you're having to go through a second trimester loss again. It truly is heart breaking. It nearly broke me when I had a multiple loss at almost 24 weeks. I am just sending all my love to you on your journey to heal. ❤

Thank you very much. I am grateful to you all for your insight and words.
In terms of trying again, I think they will follow me very closely with scans and aspirin.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm a midwife and in my ten years of working I've only ever had one woman who has had two second trimester losses. I was absolutely devastated for her, I couldn't believe it had happened twice. Life can be so cruel. I feel it's quite a rarity in the second trimester to happen twice - unless there's a problem with your cervix. If it is then you can have a cervical suture which works so well in many women. I can only say, take your time, be kind to yourself and allow yourself to grieve.
If and only you feel ready to try again- I can tell you my woman had a successful third pregnancy to term. (With a cervical suture)
I saw her every week in her pregnancy for reassurance. I'm sending you my best wishes and heartfelt hugs. X

I know that the odds of a third trimester loss are around 1 in 225 so less than 0.5%. I know that because my first baby died st 40 weeks. It would make sense for second trimester losses to be 1-2% maybe given that I think around up to 25% of pregnancies overall end in a loss. Don't get hung up on the odds. If you have any investigations you should get an idea of whether there is anything happening which is likely to happen to you again.

I'm so so sorry for your losses.

I have no advice but I am so very sorry. Take all the time you need and take care of you