{"id":56569,"date":"2020-10-29T13:03:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T17:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/?p=56569"},"modified":"2020-11-18T10:46:39","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T15:46:39","slug":"miscarriage-and-pregnancy-loss-ashleys-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/healthy-tomorrows\/miscarriage-and-pregnancy-loss-ashleys-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Miscarriage and pregnancy loss: Ashley\u2019s story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Ashley Hilliard wants to share her story about having a miscarriage in the hopes it will help people know that support is available and they are not alone.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miscarriage and pregnancy loss aren\u2019t typical topics of conversation at dinner parties or on the front covers of magazines. But the reality is that one in ten pregnancies in Canada end in miscarriage. Ashley Hilliard, a 34-year-old recreation therapist living in Ottawa wants to shine a light on the topic of miscarriage by telling her own story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashley and her husband, Mike McDonald, were thrilled to discover Ashley was pregnant with their first child. They had been trying to conceive for the better part of a year before the positive test.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But her first ultrasound showed signs that the fetus was not growing as expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe found out that our fetus was measuring quite small for where it should have been,\u201d Ashley recalled. \u201cIt should have been about eight weeks, but it was measuring about six weeks, four days, so a significant gap. It also had a very slow heart rate, which was not a great sign.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A follow-up ultrasound a few weeks later confirmed that the fetus didn\u2019t have a heartbeat. The family was experiencing a miscarriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"841\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Miscarriage_and_pregnancy_loss_-Ashley_Hilliard_ultrasound-cropped-1024x841.jpg\" alt=\"Ultrasound of Ashley Hilliard\u2019s fetus\" class=\"wp-image-56696\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Miscarriage_and_pregnancy_loss_-Ashley_Hilliard_ultrasound-cropped-1024x841.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Miscarriage_and_pregnancy_loss_-Ashley_Hilliard_ultrasound-cropped-600x493.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Miscarriage_and_pregnancy_loss_-Ashley_Hilliard_ultrasound-cropped-300x246.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Miscarriage_and_pregnancy_loss_-Ashley_Hilliard_ultrasound-cropped-768x631.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Miscarriage_and_pregnancy_loss_-Ashley_Hilliard_ultrasound-cropped-1536x1261.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Miscarriage_and_pregnancy_loss_-Ashley_Hilliard_ultrasound-cropped-2048x1681.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Ashley and her husband, Mike, experienced a miscarriage weeks after an early ultrasound suggested that the fetus\u2019 heart rate was slower than normal.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a miscarriage?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca\/\">Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network<\/a> (PAIL), a miscarriage is the early delivery of a fetus, or the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation. It is typically divided into two categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>early pregnancy loss: up to 12 weeks.<\/li><li>late pregnancy loss: between 12 and 20 weeks.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Signs and symptoms of a miscarriage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Lindsey Davis, a registered nurse at the Family Planning and MVA programs at The Ottawa Hospital, the signs of miscarriage or pregnancy loss can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>bleeding from your vagina<\/li><li>cramping in your lower abdomen, or<\/li><li>no longer feeling other pregnancy symptoms such as breast tenderness or swelling.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you experience any of these symptoms, call your health care provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Call 911 if you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>bleed through one pad per hour for two hours, or<\/li><li>feel cramping or pain so intense that it can not be managed.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Causes of a miscarriage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many parents hope to find out the cause of their miscarriage or pregnancy loss. Sometimes the cause can be identified, but sometimes it can\u2019t. Miscarriage is most often caused by a random error in the fetus\u2019 chromosomes, which means the fetus cannot survive and the pregnancy ends. According to PAIL, other causes of pregnancy loss can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>infections<\/li><li>hormone problems<\/li><li>immune system responses<\/li><li>medical conditions<\/li><li>problems with the uterus or cervix<\/li><li>problems with the placenta<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>it is common for people to feel responsible or a sense of guilt related to a miscarriage. It is important to know that, most of the time, a miscarriage is unpreventable. It does not happen because of something the pregnant person did wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kinds of miscarriage management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People who have a miscarriage typically have three options for how to manage it. Please talk with your health-care provider about which option might be right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Expectant<\/strong>: means waiting for the miscarriage to begin or end on its own without the use of medication or surgery.<\/li><li><strong>Medical:<\/strong> means taking medication that will help pass the pregnancy.<\/li><li><strong>Surgical:<\/strong> means having a surgical procedure in the hospital to remove the pregnancy tissue. A D&amp;C procedure can be done at the Labour and Delivery Unit at the Civic or General campuses, or an MVA procedure can be done at the Riverside Campus.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ashley\u2019s choice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashley chose to take medication to help pass the pregnancy at home. She took the medication at 5 p.m. and went to bed later that evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s when all hell broke loose,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI woke up at 1:30 a.m. and could feel bleeding, which was expected,\u201d she said. \u201cI walked to the bathroom and had a mini hemorrhage. I asked my husband to get me clean pajamas, and when he came back I was unconscious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mike called an ambulance because he couldn\u2019t wake her up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashley was rushed to the Emergency Department at the Civic Campus. There, the doctors stabilized her.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI saw a really amazing doctor named Dr. Barb Miller. She and others monitored me and took really good care of me. I felt much better and was able to go home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashley felt cramping a few days later and Mike drove her back to the Emergency Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBoth times through the Emergency Room, I had top-notch care,\u201d she said. \u201cThey were very respectful, very dignified. I was super impressed with how everybody treated what could be seen as a delicate situation. I saw another great doctor named Dr. Justine Amaro who referred me to the Early Pregnancy Evaluation Clinic at The Ottawa Hospital. That was Sunday. Monday morning, the clinic called me with an appointment for the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Early Pregnancy Evaluation Clinic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Early Pregnancy Evaluation Clinic at The Ottawa Hospital works closely with the Emergency Department to provide care to patients who arrive in the early stages of their pregnancy. Those who are referred to the Early Pregnancy Evaluation Clinic typically receive an appointment at the clinic within one or two days. This means they have a shorter wait in the Emergency Department and can typically rest at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cI have 750 friends on Facebook, and guaranteed somebody on there has gone through this.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The clinic acts like a hub. From there, patients can be referred to a variety of professionals, including an OB\/GYN to have an ultrasound and to make a plan of how to proceed.&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashley appreciated how well the Early Pregnancy Evaluation Clinic worked for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing part of the Early Pregnancy Evaluation Clinic gave me a contact person,\u201d she said. \u201cI knew this is what they do and this is what they manage. I didn\u2019t have to go through the Emergency Department every time. I\u2019m glad I had that continuity of care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Lindsey_Davis_and_Karine_Gaudreau_-MVA_program_The-Ottawa-Hospital-FINAL.jpg\" alt=\"Lindsey Davis, RN (left) and Karine Gaudreau, RPN\" class=\"wp-image-56574\" width=\"287\" height=\"302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Lindsey_Davis_and_Karine_Gaudreau_-MVA_program_The-Ottawa-Hospital-FINAL.jpg 476w, https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Lindsey_Davis_and_Karine_Gaudreau_-MVA_program_The-Ottawa-Hospital-FINAL-286x300.jpg 286w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px\" \/><figcaption><em><span style=\"color:#707372\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Lindsey Davis, RN (left) and Karine Gaudreau, RPN are part of a team at The Ottawa Hospital\u2019s MVA program that provide specialized support to patients and their families who have experienced a pregnancy loss.<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If a pregnancy loss is confirmed, patients who choose to manage it surgically can have a D&amp;C procedure done at the Labour and Delivery Unit at either the General Campus or Civic Campus. However, many patients who have a miscarriage prefer not to receive care next to parents who have recently given birth to full-term babies, and opt for the MVA clinic instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The MVA program was introduced at the Shirley E. Greenberg Women\u2019s Health Centre at the Riverside Campus by Davis, Dr. Pamela Berger, Dr. Amanda Black. The program was created specifically to meet the needs of parents and partners who have experienced a pregnancy loss and is the first of its kind in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI often tell people that this is a safe place for you to feel whatever it is you need to feel,\u201d said Davis.&nbsp; \u201cSometimes patients have held it together for their partner or their other children or their families and once they get to the program, they fall apart a little bit, and that\u2019s ok. For other people, this is the last stop. They have all the support they need. Their partners are wonderful, their families are wonderful, the shape of this pregnancy loss has changed for them and they are ready to have the procedure.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">There is no \u201cright\u201d way to feel after a miscarriage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Davis has years of experience supporting patients, partners and families who have experienced pregnancy loss. She knows that there is no such thing as a typical reaction to a miscarriage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEveryone is different, and no reaction is wrong,\u201d she said. \u201cNo response, no feeling, no way of understanding what they are experiencing is wrong. Whatever they are experiencing is their truth, and certainly we want to support that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Davis has seen a range of reactions \u2013 from extremely emotional to stoic. Some patients don\u2019t know how to feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome people say \u2018is that bad? Is it bad that I\u2019m not crying? Should I be crying?\u2019 and we tell people that it\u2019s ok to feel however they feel. There is no right way to be.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Ashley, the physical toll her body has taken has been more intense than the emotional one.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI totally understand that different people handle this in different ways,\u201d she said.&nbsp; \u201cIt could be years later and people are still having an emotional response. For me, it was more the physical stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ashley\u2019s story continues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashley says that she and Mike are doing well, and is grateful for the care she received at The Ottawa Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thousands of families across Canada have their own miscarriage stories \u2013 some will be similar to Ashley\u2019s and some will be very different. Ashley hopes that by telling her story, she can help people understand that they are not alone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have 750 friends on Facebook, and guaranteed somebody on there has gone through this,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it\u2019s such a taboo subject, and it seems to be such a secret. Now I think, \u2018how can I improve this for other people?\u2019 I think we handled it well, but not everybody does.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chances are you know someone who has had a miscarriage or pregnancy loss. It affects thousands of families in Canada each year. Learn the signs, symptoms and causes of miscarriage, and read Ashley\u2019s story to know that you are not alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":56570,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[421,381,174],"class_list":["post-56569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-tomorrows","tag-mother-health","tag-patient-experience","tag-womens-health"],"acf":[],"wps_subtitle":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56569\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ottawahospital.on.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}