It happens all the time but we hardly ever talk about it. About one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, leaving many couples struggling with unresolved grief and social isolation. In this 10-part video-based online series, made by Digital Alchemist and funded by NZ On Air, we break down the myths and provide practical help. We hear from well-known NZ personalities - The Hits host and te reo advocate Stacey Morrison, TVNZ presenter and journalist Miriamo Kamo and funeral director Kaiora Tipene from The Casketeers - about their personal experiences and follow the stories of six couples who have been through the trauma of miscarriage.
Infertility and pregnancy loss counsellor Megan Downer knows how difficult it can be to comfort someone who has experienced pregnancy loss.
"Children are very important in all cultures. So where women have had miscarriages, sometimes they can hold a lot of shame around that," she says. "For those supporting someone who has miscarried, do not minimise the loss. Miscarriage is often devastating."
People who haven't experienced miscarriage themselves can underestimate the significance of the loss. When broadcaster Stacey Morrison lost a pregnancy, her first thought was with her friends who had also been through miscarriage, and how she could have been a better source of support for them. "It's so hard as a friend to understand what they've been through, and it's not as tangible," she says.
