Pregnancy
Many people who wish to have children have trouble conceiving. This can feel like a terrible blow at first, but today there are many alternative paths to having children, including adoption, surrogacy, and fertility treatments. The reasons for choosing one option over another are often complex and personal, but all are equally valid.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of great vulnerability for women. It has always been accompanied by some risk, especially in the past when we knew less than we do now about gestation and birth. Experience, while it is our fundamental source of knowledge, can also be misleading—one woman’s experience does not, cannot, and should not define another’s. A woman’s health, support network, emotional preparedness, and doctor/midwife can all influence her experience.
Pregnancy
Often accompanied by severe bleeding and pain, miscarriage is the most common form of pregnancy loss. It occurs before the 20th week and affects 10–20% of all pregnancies. The real number is even higher as many miscarriages occur so early that a woman hasn’t yet realized she’s pregnant. Depending on the case, medical or surgical treatment is sometimes necessary. Most often, a miscarriage will not influence future pregnancies.
