Miscarriage Facts
In Australia, a miscarriage is defined as the loss of a baby before 20 weeks gestation
A baby is recognised and registered as a birth from 20 weeks gestation. You can still hold a funeral or memorial service for your baby born before 20 weeks gestation.
As high as 1 in 4 women will experience a miscarriage
Miscarriages are common and still not well understood and acknowledged. It may be for these reasons that the impact this loss has on families remains minimised. Miscarriage loss in Australia is still a silent and often buried grief for many parents who are never given the support they need right from the very beginning.
A miscarriage loss is a devastating event for many parents
Mother's and fathers need to grieve for their much wanted and loved baby and will do so for many months, sometimes even years. This is a real loss, but a very individual one too. Some parents move through the grieving process quicker than others. Whilst other mothers may experience clinical depression despite if they were only 7 weeks pregnant. Support and acknowledgement of this baby is what many parents want and will help them move through the grieving process. If you are a friend or family member please read our section on how to support your friends through their loss.
Bears Of Hope gives you a dialogue to openly express your feelings without feeling judged, embarrassed or minimised
Our vision is for families who experience a miscarriage, to receive the acknowledgement and respect they deserve for grieving the loss of their baby. Whether you experienced a miscarriage years ago or recently, please feel free to join our support groups or contact us here at Bears Of Hope for more support.