After a pregnancy loss, anxiety is common. In fact, statistically, it’s the most common mental health diagnosis people receive: after a pregnancy loss, 10% of people will experience symptoms of depression, whereas 20% of people will experience symptoms of anxiety. And, it makes sense! There are so many things after a pregnancy loss that can make one feel anxious.
Moreover, the experience of anxiety after a pregnancy loss is highly common. Sadly, the response we often get from people can be surprising: Aren’t you happy you can get pregnant again? Just be happy you are here.
Today, I’m revisiting a podcast with Nicole McNelis, M.Ed, NCC, LPC. Nicole specializes in working with moms-to-be. In this episode, we speak about the feelings that might arise when someone becomes pregnant after a loss, including how to cope with anxiety surrounding the pregnancy.
You can find Nicole at www.nicolemcnelis.com
Experiencing anxiety is common. Medical concerns arising in the midst of a pregnancy loss can make us anxious: how painful will the D&C or the D&E be? When will my cramps start after I take Cytotec? Will the Cytotec work after the first dose? Or even the second dose?
Worries about the future might start creeping in: will I ever be able to have a baby? What if this happens again?
Even worries about the current loss, considering so often, losses are spontaneous and we get NO information: was there a genetic condition? Is it something with my partner’s sperm? Is there something wrong with ME?
Throw in the typhoon of hormones changing and coursing through our bodies, and anxiety is simply inevitable. But, there are coping strategies to help us.
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