On Feb. 14, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, announced that they’re expecting their second child. The news came less than three months after Meghan penned an op-ed in The New York Times revealing that she had suffered a miscarriage last summer. Among the congratulatory well-wishes (as well as the inevitable “backlash” from those who take issue with the former royals) was a report that the couple initially felt anxious about the pregnancy, which happened quickly after Meghan’s miscarriage. A source close to the couple told People Magazine that Harry and Markle were “nervous, and it took them a while before they could relax and fully enjoy this pregnancy.”
While miscarriage is incredibly common it can result in significant mental and emotional hardship.
As a psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health, I’ve seen firsthand how anxiety can affect those who become pregnant after having suffered loss of a pregnancy or an infant. While miscarriage is incredibly common — 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriages — it can result in significant mental and emotional hardship. A 2020 study found that 1 in 6 people who experience miscarriage will experience long-term post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. A subsequent pregnancy that results in a live birth doesn’t diminish or erase the impact of pregnancy loss, and time and time again I have witnessed and helped people whose past miscarriages have greatly affected how they feel about…
