7 Worst Things to Say to a Woman Who's Had a Miscarriage ...

By Alison

7 Worst Things to Say to a Woman Who's Had a Miscarriage ...

There are so many wrong things to say to a woman who's had a miscarriage. Unfortunately it is very difficult to know what to say under such sad circumstances, and in attempting to say words of comfort people often inadvertently say the wrong thing. These are definitely the wrong things to say to a woman who's had a miscarriage …

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1 Try Again Soon

Of all the wrong things to say to a woman who's had a miscarriage, this is one of the least tactful. She's just lost a baby, albeit at an early stage, and the last thing she wants to think about is rushing into another pregnancy. First she has to mourn the baby she's lost and her body has to recover. She can't just replace her baby.

2 You Can Have Another One

People often try to console a woman who's miscarried by telling her she can have another one. This is not going to help at all. Yes, she probably can and will go on to have another child. But the fact remains that she has lost a child that she was nurturing inside her, and looking forward to holding in her arms. Any other children that she has later will be individuals in their own right, as is the one she thought she would have.

3 It's for the Best

Sometimes it may not be the best time to have a child, perhaps because of money being tight or the pregnancy was unplanned. So when a woman in these circumstances has a miscarriage, people think they are being comforting by saying that it's for the best. It's actually a horrible thing to say, because unplanned pregnancies can still be very much wanted.

4 You Shouldn't Have …

Yes, there are people who actually tell a woman that she caused her miscarriage. This is an awful thing to say. They blame something in her lifestyle, as if the miscarriage is some kind of judgement. Often a woman blames herself anyway, even though in many cases the reason for the loss is not clear. So don't reinforce the erroneous belief that it's somehow her fault.

5 God Wanted It for an Angel

You may sincerely believe that the baby is with God, but the woman may not. Keep your religious beliefs to yourself, unless you are absolutely sure that she shares your views on the matter. Even then, it's best to follow her cue and only discuss the religious aspect if she brings the subject up.

6 You've Already Got One

Saying to a woman "At least you've already got one" is no comfort at all. It's not about numbers. To her, the child is an individual. Besides, secondary infertility (difficulty in conceiving after the first child) is a known problem and very bewildering for a couple who have naturally assumed that they will have a second child when they want.

7 It's Just a Miscarriage

No, it isn't just a miscarriage. You're not the one involved, so you can be detached. A miscarriage represents many things to a woman who suffers one. She might have known about the pregnancy for some time, and will have built up an emotional connection with the baby she's lost. So she can't just shrug it off and move on. She needs time.

Tactless comments to a woman who's had a miscarriage are often intended to be comforting, but do quite the opposite. True, it's not easy to come up with the right words; it may be better to say nothing and just give her a hug. What is the most tactless thing anyone's said to you at a sad time?

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People have some of those things when my dog died. As a nursing student taking OB this semester I can really appreciate this article as I will encounter many miscarriages . thank u

When I had mine the year before my daughter was born. My monster in law wanted me to call all the aunts and uncles on my husbands side , to let them know the details . The pain , the day it happened , she was cold , stupid and insensitive !!

Speaking of tactlessness- at Walgreens you have to be 21 to ring up alcohol (I'm 20 and expecting with my husband) This lady said to me "you can't ring up wine but you're gonna be a mom?"

Oh dear I think I may have said all of them! Now I feel bad

Thank you for posting this article!!!! I've had three miscarriage & sometimes family friends & acquaintances sometimes don't know what to say this can definitely help them with what to NOT to say. It's a heartbreaking thing for any woman to have to go thru bringing up this subject is a great way of raising awareness not only about miscarriages but infant loss as well. Again thank you for writing this.

A boy I really loved screwed me over a couple weeks before I thought I was pregnant. It ended up being a false positive and many people told me to "get over it", "you're too young for a child" and "you didn't want him as the father anyways". As much as these statements were true-and as guiltily relieving it was to not be pregnant-their words hurt me more than they comforted me.

My mum had several (I think 9?) miscarriages before having my sister. I recall people saying these all the time! Another one I heard a lot was people telling her it was selfish to keep trying. :/

But what can we say when a friend had a miscarriage to show her support? I want to know bc I'm not very good with words.

When I miscarried I was absolutely heartbroken...no one close to me really knew what I was going through. I absolutely HATED when people would say, "I know, I know...it has to be hard. I understand it must hurt". Excuse me...you have NO idea what I'm going through! I had wanted that baby my whole life and fallen in love with him/her in the short three and a half months I carried. That was two years ago in August and there's not a day that goes by that still doesn't hurt!

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