Privacy of baby loss: a choice—not an instruction

It is estimated that one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage. Sadly, this number is likely to be higher as a large proportion of pregnancy losses are managed at home and go unreported (Tommy's, 2022). With such prevalence, I would expect this to be something that most readers have dealt with, regardless of clinical setting. It is also likely that you will know someone personally who has been through this experience—however, if you think you don't, is this truly the case or is it a reflection of the stories that have never been shared?

My name is Nikki and I am an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner in Urgent Care. I am the one in five women who has lost their baby. I want to break the taboo that surrounds talking about early pregnancy loss and share my story—as both a clinician who wants to educate for the benefit of patients, and as a mother who was never able to bring her baby home.