After Miscarriage: Medical Facts and Emotional Support for Pregnancy Loss

by Krissi Danielsson, William H. Kutteh (Foreword by)

In this supportive and comprehensive guide for women and their partners who have experienced one or more miscarriages, Danielsson uses both personal experience and expertly reviewed, carefully documented medical information to advise readers about topics including when to seek testing, how to choose the right doctor, when to try for another pregnancy, and how to deal with anxiety. The book includes anecdotes from women who have miscarried, inspiring stories from couples who have had a baby after losing one, and a chapter just for dads. After Miscarriage is an invaluable resource that will help couples move forward from pregnancy loss.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jeannette]

This book is clearly not a medical text about miscarriage, but the author makes no pretense about that and in fact, that wasn't her intention. It's more of a sort of handbook of general information about miscarriage, its possible causes, and potential treatments. I was actually aware of quite a lot of the information already, though it made me feel a little better to see some of it in an actual book. A few things made me feel more guilty and/or anxious, but a lot of other parts of it were consoling. The author sharing her experience was particularly helpful, even if I didn't always agree with her perspective. Everyone deals in their own way, and her stories (as well as the blurbs she includes from other women) confirmed that. In some ways having other viewpoints and reactions makes me feel more confident in my own because it shows how many different ways of coping there are. One of my favorite parts of the entire text though is Appendix B, in which the author shares several pages of resources - on all different subjects: weight loss, PCOS, dietary changes, even pregnancy tests in bulk. I think a few of the links might be outdated, but it's so great to have a starting point to learn about some of these topics (and believe me, there are many more than the ones I listed). I also liked that she shared her husband's viewpoint on the subject in two different places in the book. I think it's important to acknowledge that this is a shared loss when it happens. It was a little hard to get through because of the emotional subject matter, but actually it was a quick read, and overall, I found it a pretty good resource.

[Annika]

As someone looking to support a friend going through miscarriage, I found this helpful in a way many books on the subject are not; though it does discuss grief and emotional loss, After Miscarriage dedicates much of its energy to explaining the science behind miscarriage - both what we know, and what we don't know. I found this especially useful, as many books on miscarriage exclusively focus on loss, or future fertility. I hope nobody needs to read this book, but if you are experiencing miscarriage or have a loved one who is, I'd recommend it.

[Alicia]

Very helpful and calming after going through my own miscarriage.

[Natasha de Sousa]

A must read for anyone who has experienced a miscarriage. Lots of important medical and emotional info

[Largercircle]

This book is another for my "Pregnancy & Birth" reading list. And again, I chose it because pregnancy loss is not something I know from personal experience (at least, not yet - and at least, not directly - I do know friends, family members, and clients who have had losses.) I appreciated that this book was written in a very personal style; it's not a clinical description of phenomenon or even a "all about it" kind of book, although it does include both information and advice. Rather, it's a sort of compilation of reference material and acknowledgement of emotional struggle, and briefly, a description of the author's own miscarriage experiences and her emotional responses. Best of all, it manages not to be patronizing (I think), which I can imagine it would be only too easy for a book on this topic to be.

[Atlantis]

I got this book from a friend and my first reaction, after pulling it out of the envelope it was mailed to me in-I was angry. I was like "Why does she think I need this?" My husband said, "Her hearts in the right place." But, after awhile, I picked up the book and started reading and I'm glad that I did. When you are ready, this book is a helpful comforting tome on ways to deal with grief after a miscarriage. I got some great ideas on how to build a memory of my baby and found peace and comfort through that.

[Sarah Gardner]

My husband and I are going through this very difficult loss, and this is the first book we found at our local library tackling the subject.

It speaks from the first person at times, which is helpful and aids in the understanding tone of the book. It gives ideas and resources for coping we had not found on our own.

While it did not go into depth in the way we were searching for, it provided good information and helped us find other avenues to explore.

[Audra]

Wish I'd read this book as I was going through the miscarriages. Lots of medical information that would have been helpful. After the fact, perhaps I would've done things differently - and in that light, made it a sad read for me.

[Kimberly]

Not as great as other books I read on the subject, but still helpful and worth the read.