I. Introduction, definition, statistics
Miscarriage and infant loss are common, yet traumatic experiences that many women face.
According to Medline plus miscarriage can be defined as a natural, spontaneous loss of a human
fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. It can cause both physical and emotional pain for a
woman experiencing it (Jacobson, 2018) https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001488.htm.
Infertility is defined as a couple’s inability to get pregnant after 12 months of trying or typically
6 months for women who are age 35 or older (Fact sheet, 2014 https://www.reproductivefacts.org/globalassets/rf/news-
and-publications/bookletsfact-sheets/english-fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/defining_infertility_factsheet.pdf). According to the CDC
approximately 12% of couples struggle to get pregnant or sustain a pregnancy (Infertility FAQs,
2019 https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/index.htm#:~:text=About%206%25%20of%20married%20women,marital%20status%20(impaired%20fecundity).). Of
woman who know they are pregnant, 10-15 percent of those pregnancy will result in a
miscarriage (Miscarriage, 2017 https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/miscarriage.aspx#:~:text=For%20women%20who%20know
%20they,1%20to%205%20percent)%20pregnancies.). Though distinctly different in nature, both miscarriage and
are relatively common struggles that women face but that does not make them any easier to
handle. Women who experience miscarriage typically feel a deep sense of loss, even when the
pregnancy is short lived. Infertility can cause a large range of emotions and a cycle of hope and
disappointment. Treatments such as IVF can take a large emotional toll, combined with the
physical toll of hormone injections, constant monitoring, and blood tests. Infertility and
miscarriage are a widespread struggle for women and may have a stigma attached, childlessness
can have a deep psychological impact, but despite the trauma and grief and barrenness brings,
counseling can help provide hope and healing.
II. Stigma surrounding miscarriage and infertility
Stigma, it’s something that just about every woman who faced infertility and miscarriage
faces. There are a barrage of comments and advices offered that are not fruitful. When sharing
something so deeply painful, often times the listener is unsure of how to respond. In her thesis,
“Infertile Myrtles” Natalie Jansen shares the stories of women who are struggling to conceive
and the stigma around them. Women share stories of friends and family who would intentionally
hide their pregnancy or being purposely avoided after a baby was born. Also, the large amounts
of advice, like just relax, or herbal treatments, sex positions, etc. All of these things, while
intended to be helpful, just further stigmatized the women. One woman even lamented, “there
seems to be no shortage of strangers ready to lay their hands on my stomach and pray”
(https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/handle/1808/24841/Jansen_ku_0099M_13957_DATA_
1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y).
These stories echo what many women who have infertility or who have suffered a
miscarriage face. A study in Australia surveyed women who had endured a miscarriage, and
many women found that their greatest comfort came from their partners, while they were
disappointed in the support from their social systems. Many felt isolated and alone in their
feelings (some had not even announced their pregnancy) and they also felt that the psychological
impact of miscarriage could not be understood except by those who had also gone through it.
Part of this is because of the idea that most pregnancies shouldn’t be announced until after the
12th week. (https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-018-0672-
3#citeas). In addition to feeling isolated, intense grief, and physical pain, women who have
experienced miscarriage can also feel a deep sense of regret and/or self-blame for the miscarriage
even though statistically up to 25% of pregnancies end that way, most without a known cause
(https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07481187.2016.1233143?
scroll=top&needAccess=true). Being childless often raises questions from strangers and friends
alike, why don’t you have children? When will you have children? It is common for wedding
toasts to mention future children without the consideration that perhaps the couple cannot have
children, and perhaps it is or will be an incredibly painful struggle for them to endure. When
women do not have children they are often left feeling stigmatized by the culture around them.
A. What are the multi-cultural considerations in infertility and miscarriage? (Buluc-
Halper, Ebru, and Paul Griffin. “Multicultural Considerations in Infertility
Counseling.” Counseling.org. American Counseling Association, March 15,
2015. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-
source/vistas/article_18f0bf24f16116603abcacff0000bee5e7.pdf?sfvrsn=4.)
B. What are the religious responses to infertility and miscarriage?
(Facchin, F., Buggio, L., Dridi, D., & Vercellini, P. (2019). A woman’s worth: The
psychological impact of beliefs about motherhood, female identity, and infertility
on childless women with endometriosis. Journal of Health Psychology.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105319863093)
III. Psychological impact
A. Infertility and miscarriage are forms of trauma that a woman could experience.
(Facchin, F., Buggio, L., Dridi, D., & Vercellini, P. (2019). A woman’s worth: The
psychological impact of beliefs about motherhood, female identity, and infertility on
childless women with endometriosis. Journal of Health Psychology.
https://doi.org/10.1177/135910531986309)
(Kov?cs G?bor. “Chapter 19. Infertility Counseling.” Essay. In The Subfertility
Handbook: a Clinician's Guide, 61–82. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2011..)
(Tara M. Cousineau, Alice D. Domar, Psychological impact of infertility, Best
Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Volume 21, Issue 2,
2007, Pages 293-308, ISSN 1521-6934,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2006.12.003.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1521693406001611)
B. A woman can experience large, intense amount of grief following a diagnosis of
infertility or a miscarriage.
(Berger, R., Paul, M. S., & Henshaw, L. A. (2013). Women's Experience of Infertility:
A Multi-systemic Perspective1. Journal of International Women's Studies, 14(1), 54-
68. http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com
%2Fscholarly-journals%2Fwomens-experience-infertility-multi-systemic
%2Fdocview%2F1372725390%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D12085)
C. Relation and sexual dysfunction can occur alongside of an infertility diagnosis.
(Kov?cs G?bor. “Chapter 19. Infertility Counseling.” Essay. In The Subfertility
Handbook: a Clinician's Guide, 61–82. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2011.)
IV. Response to miscarriage and infertility.
A. Counseling provides hope and healing, a response to miscarriage.
(Paterson, S. J. (2020). How might parish ministers (and other pastoral care
givers) better support women who have experienced an early
miscarriage? (Doctoral dissertation, University of Glasgow).
(Anthony, G. M., & Heisman, S. (2018). A Merciful Response to Miscarriage and
Stillbirth. Ethics & Medics, 43(12), 1-2.)
(Moe, T. (2014). Pastoral care in pregnancy loss: A ministry long needed.
Routledge.)
V. Counseling provides hope and healing, a response to infertility
(Romeiro, Joana, et al. "The Spiritual Journey of Infertile Couples: Discussing the
Opportunity for Spiritual Care." Religions, vol. 8, no. 4, 2017, pp. 76. ProQuest,)
Conclusion
A. Summary
B. Thesis restatement
References
Anthony, G. M., & Heisman, S. (2018). A Merciful Response to Miscarriage and
Stillbirth. Ethics & Medics, 43(12), 1-2.
Buluc-Halper, Ebru, and Paul Griffin. “Multicultural Considerations in Infertility Counseling.”
Counseling.org. American Counseling Association, March 15, 2015.
https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-
source/vistas/article_18f0bf24f16116603abcacff0000bee5e7.pdf?sfvrsn=4 .
Berger, R., Paul, M. S., & Henshaw, L. A. (2013). Women's Experience of Infertility: A Multi-
systemic Perspective1. Journal of International Women's Studies, 14(1), 54-68.
http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholary-
journals%2Fwomens-experience-infertility-multi systemic%2Fdocview
%2F1372725390%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D12085
Devor, N. G. (1994). Pastoral Care for Infertile Couples. The Journal of Pastoral Care, 48(4),
355–360.
Facchin, F., Buggio, L., Dridi, D., & Vercellini, P. (2019). A woman’s worth: The psychological
impact of beliefs about motherhood, female identity, and infertility on childless
women with endometriosis. Journal of Health Psychology.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105319863093
Infertility. (2019, January 16). Retrieved February 05, 2021, from
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/index.htm#:~:text=About
%206%25%20of%20married%20women,marital%20status%20(impaired%20fecundity).
KovPcs GPbor. “Chapter 19. Infertility Counseling.” Essay. In The Subfertility Handbook: a
Clinician's Guide, 61–82. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Moe, T. (2014). Pastoral care in pregnancy loss: A ministry long needed. Routledge.
Paterson, S. J. (2020). How might parish ministers (and other pastoral care givers) better
support women who have experienced an early miscarriage? (Doctoral dissertation,
University of Glasgow).
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. (2013). Fast facts about infertility. Retrieved
from http://www.resolve.org/about/fast-facts-about-fertility.html
Romeiro, Joana, et al. "The Spiritual Journey of Infertile Couples: Discussing the Opportunity
for Spiritual Care." Religions, vol. 8, no. 4, 2017, pp. 76. ProQuest,
http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-
journals%2Fspiritual-journey-infertile-couples-discussing%2Fdocview
%2F1899747169%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D12085,
doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.3390/rel8040076.
.
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