Member-only story
Dealing With An Impending Miscarriage
Hope Requires Fortitude
Introduction
I had wanted a second child for some time. My husband had been ambivalent.
Having struggled so much with our first child, he was hesitant to embark on the journey into multiple fatherhood.
Nonetheless, when the news came that I was pregnant again, we were both filled with joy. All prior discussions of whether we should expand our family ceased.
Emotionally and psychologically we prepared a place for our second child.
About 9 weeks along the pregnancy, I noticed spotting.
I quelled my fears by referring to online forums where pregnant women discussed how they too spotted and managed to deliver healthy babies.
I arranged an appointment with the obstetrician thinking that an ultrasound of the baby would quash any remaining fear.
It had the opposite effect.
The ultrasound showed that the baby had barely grown in two weeks and had only a faint heart beat remaining.
The doctor prescribed hormones and ordered cessation of all exercise and intercourse.
A few days on, a visit to my thyroid doctor’s office confirmed my fears. It was very likely that my…
