Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Miscarriage Myths: Healing & Wholeness After Pregnancy Loss
By: Ann Hollas, DO
Director’s Note: Dr. Ann Hollas, a former FACTS elective student, shares an enlightening interview that touches on the heartbreak of miscarriage, as well as the joy of welcoming a child into the world. During this Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Jackie’s story of miscarriage during her second trimester highlights the fragility of life and underscores our role as physicians to support patients both during pregnancy and in the event of an unexpected pregnancy loss. Although regulations surrounding women’s reproductive healthcare vary from state to state, we hope Jackie’s story serves to dispel the myth that physicians are restricted from treating women for miscarriage. As Jackie experienced, it may be necessary to employ medication or even surgery to facilitate the resolution of the pregnancy after loss of the embryo or fetus. Through the FACTS elective we hope to train the next generation of physicians to appreciate the beauty of fertility awareness and restorative reproductive medicine to help women achieve and maintain healthy pregnancies. We also recognize the valuable work of medical professionals treating women experiencing miscarriage.
Although the road to parenthood has been a difficult journey for Jackie,* she is now the mother of an adorable baby boy — and fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) have played a key role. She and her husband first learned about the Creighton Model in 2022 during marriage preparation classes. Jackie initially chose to use the Creighton Model based on the recommendation of friends and family. Upon doing her own research, she was also drawn to the simplicity of this natural method. Unlike other FABMs, which may require extra materials like thermometers or urinary hormone test strips, the Creighton Model relies on standardized observations and the recording of cervical mucus to track a woman’s fertile window to avoid or achieve pregnancy. Once Jackie started charting with Creighton, she found she enjoyed observing the opening of her fertile window and liked the fact that she didn’t have to rely on any external monitors or technology, which she feared might be faulty or give inaccurate readings. Jackie appreciated relying on her body’s natural mucus production to identify her fertile periods but found it could be challenging to make observations every time she used the restroom. Early on, remembering to log her observations at the end of the day was also a challenge.
“Once Jackie started charting with Creighton, she … appreciated relying on her body’s natural mucus production to identify her fertile periods.”
“Being constantly mindful of mucus or no mucus can be tedious at times and one can forget the observations since there are multiple in a day,” she said.
After getting married, Jackie and her husband used the Creighton Method to track her fertile window with the hopes of conceiving. Soon, they found out they were pregnant! However, after several scares of irregular bleeding, she was diagnosed with placenta previa. They lost the baby in November 2022. This loss was devastating. Still, the couple experienced both emotional and physical healing in the following months, and they continued to be open to life. As far as charting post-miscarriage, Jackie experienced continued bleeding and eventually underwent a D&C (dilation and curettage) — a procedure to clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage. Shortly thereafter, she was able to resume observations and charted a normal menstrual cycle.
“After several scares of irregular bleeding, she was diagnosed with placenta previa. They lost the baby in November 2022… (and) this loss was devastating.”
Just a few months later, Jackie became pregnant again. The couple welcomed a baby boy into the world in November 2023. Since then, Jackie has exclusively breastfed (including through the night) and used the Lactational Amenorrhea Method for natural family planning. She plans to resume charting with the Creighton Method at a later point. However, given the challenges of the postpartum period, she is continuing discussions with her OB during follow-up visits.
My interview with Jackie yielded several key insights. The Creighton Model is an excellent option for women and couples who desire a “natural” method of family planning; yet, tracking detailed daily observations can be a challenge. Monitoring every mucus sensation can be tedious, especially with a busy schedule. Apps can be an appealing, accessible and quick mode of charting. As Jackie shared the story of her pregnancy loss, I also learned that cycles may return to normal relatively quickly after a miscarriage. Our conversation has piqued my interest to further research when a woman’s cycle might return post-miscarriage and how that may compare to those with full-term pregnancies.
“The Creighton Model is an excellent option for women and couples who desire a “natural” method of family planning; yet, tracking detailed daily observations can be a challenge.”
*Names have been changed to respect the privacy of the interviewee. All information is shared with permission.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ann Hollas, DO
Ann Hollas, DO is a first year Family Medicine resident at Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, KS. She is a recent graduate of the University of North Texas Health Science Center – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, Tx. She completed her undergraduate education at Stephen F. Austin State University. She is interested in providing holistic care to the underserved and sharing the love of Christ through the practice of medicine. She enrolled in the FACTS elective to gain a better understanding of natural family planning methods and manners in which to share these methods with future patients so they can feel more empowered over their health and reproductive decisions.