"This was supposed to be an exciting moment, the announcement that my baby was coming. I realized that I was going through labor, but at the end of it, I would have nothing."
(Mis)carriage is one woman's honest, intimate journey through the loss of her child after eight weeks of pregnancy. Her candid account of loss, grief, and new beginnings shines as comforting proof that hope awaits in the aftermath, and that the loss of her baby matters.
Although an estimated one in four women experiences a miscarriage, there is a stark absence of resources available to these women and their families. Regan Parker's personal yet universal story of love, life, and loss boldly explores the complexities of grief, while calling plaintively for the resources that would help others cope with the pain of losing a child.
In an endorsement for (Mis)carriage, the American Pregnancy Association agrees with Regan Parker. It writes that "getting people talking about miscarriage, sharing their stories, and getting help and support is vital for emotional health and healing. We believe as you read her story and share your story, that healing is available for you."
Through her grief, Parker grappled with the unanswered questions of why. Why did she lose her baby? Why was her miscarriage largely disregarded by the medical community and our society? Why wasn't she supposed to mourn a loss in the first trimester? Why wasn't anyone talking about this? The book raises vital questions intended to spark change in current medical policies and open conversations among women and their communities.
Parker's memoir explores the essence of human nature and finds that beneath the heartbreaking experience of losing a child and the newfound hope that blossoms in parenthood, there is the truth that in the end is the beginning.
"This book will not only help those who feel lonely in their journey of their loss but also the hope of a future. I truly recommend this to anyone who has felt the pain that miscarriage has caused." - Jana Kramer, actress and singer.
Regan's story makes clear that it matters that these women are mothers without babies. It matters that they want to know the reasons for their early pregnancy loss. It matters that miscarriage is a universal experience shared by tens of thousands of women, but is hardly mentioned among women and medical practitioners.
"(Mis)carriage is a heartfelt and heartbreaking book. It is written with raw emotion, and fills a huge void in the literature." - Mary Morrill Chuba, M.D.
Parker boldly confesses, "I am offering my story, in all of its painful and raw beauty, as a way to try to give a voice to those who suffer in silence. I hear you. I see you. I am you. I am the one in four."
