Sisters in Loss Podcast: Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss, & Infertility Stories

Have you heard of PPROM? Preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) is a pregnancy complication. In this condition, the sac (amniotic membrane) surrounding your baby breaks (ruptures) before week 37 of pregnancy. Once the sac breaks, you have an increased risk for infection. You also have a higher chance of having your baby born early.

Today's guest experienced preterm premature rupture of the membranes and was diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and loss her son. Stacy Patterson has two beautiful daughters after experiencing a preterm birth followed by a NICU stay and a perfect pregnancy she was ready for her son. She became pregnant in November 2019 and lost her son due to PPROM and being diagnosed with an Incompetent Cervix. In today's episode Stacy takes us back on her journey to having her son and the other health complications she experienced after loss. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced PPROM or been diagnosed with an Incompetent Cervix.

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I was honored with the opportunity to attend the State of the Union as a guest of my Congressman Donald McEachin. Yes, you read right last Tuesday, February 4, 2020 I traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the most controversial SOTU we have seen. Imagine being in the room where you can cut the tension with a knife of a sitting president who has been impeached and is attempting to convince the American people to reelect him for another 4 years. I loved every minute of the politics and pomp and circumstance. This episode I take you on that journey with me to DC to the Capitol and what I learned about sowing seeds and reaping the harvest.

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Can you imagine getting engaged, finding out you are pregnant, and losing your baby all within a years time? Today's guest knows exactly how that feels so much she has decided to share her journey to motherhood. Quenesha West was managing graduate school getting her Masters in Social Work when she was surprised with an engagement and six days later she found out she was pregnant. With marriage and motherhood on the horizon while managing graduate school work and a full time job, Quenesha shares her loss story in today's episode. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced loss after experiencing a high with achieving your other goals in life.

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Have you heard of the term Incompetent Cervix? or Trans Abdominal Cerclage?

An incompetent cervix, also called a cervical insufficiency, occurs when weak cervical tissue causes or contributes to premature birth or the loss of an otherwise healthy pregnancy. In a transabdominal cerclage procedure, a gynecologic surgeon makes an incision in the lower abdomen near the bikini line. Through this transabdominal incision, the surgeon places a small, woven synthetic band high on the cervix. The band supports the cervix, preventing it from opening and losing the pregnancy.

Today's guest has experienced a diagnosis of an incompetent cervix twice with the loss of her first daughter in 2017 and second daughter in 2018. Vu-An Foster is the founder of Life After Two Losses and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss and Incompetent Cervix Advocate. After her losses she shares in this episode her decision for in advance of another pregnancy to receive a transabdominal cerclage to prevent her cervix from opening and losing another baby in the future. This episode is for you to listen to if you have had recurrent miscarriages in the 2nd trimester and have received a transvaginal cerclage or considering a transabdominal cerclage.

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What does life look like post abortion? Today's guest knows exactly what post abortive life and redemption looks like. Amber Davis is a Massage Therapist who emphasis on post-abortive care awareness and maternal wellness. In this episode she takes us back to her story of overcoming reproductive trauma and how it has led her to her work. This episode is for you to listen to if you want to know what healing post-abortion looks like and how to overcome reproductive trauma.

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A stillbirth is still a birth! "And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in."

Today's guest LaQuinda Johnson felt exactly that way as she shares her journey to motherhood including losing her stillbirth son at 6 months pregnant. She takes us back on the journey to having her daughter, getting pregnant with her son and how it was filled with anxiety and fears, and the day she found out her son died in utero. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a stillbirth because a stillbirth is still a birth.

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Since November 2018 when Michelle Obama released her memoir "Becoming" many fertility centers have seen an increase in treatments amongst blacks including today's sponsor Fertility Centers of Illinois. I had the pleasure of talking with Torria Driver, the Lead Medical Assistant and Resource Team at Fertility Centers of Illinois. In today's episode Torria shares her personal IVF journey conceiving her twins. She also shares her 20+ year experience caring for patients especially African Americans, how we can utilize our PCP for testing to ensure we minimize out of pocket expenses during fertility treatments, and why black women particularly should freeze their eggs. This episode is for you to listen if you have considered freezing your eggs, understand what IVF is, and how to use your insurance to your advantage to reduce out of pocket expenses. Please contact Fertility Centers of Illinois !

Do I Have Fertility Coverage? - This Fertility Centers of Illinois blog discusses mandated states, questions to ask your employer, what you should ask your insurer, and tips to ensure you're maximizing the coverage you have.

FertilityIQ - Free IVF: Grants and Charities - This is a detailed national list of grants and charities broken down into several categories (national, patient specific, state specific, prescription assistance, clinic specific). While this is not listed on the link, Fertility Centers of Illinois gives away one IVF cycle per year to Fertility for Colored Girls.

Participating In Medical Studies - An additional way to access free or discounted treatment is to participate in a medical study. To learn more about medical studies in your area, find a reputable facility with a research program. Fertility centers that have research departments are commonly the larger or largest clinics in the area, and/or they are part of a university medical school. At Fertility Centers of Illinois, we list our research studies here. This website claims to list all clinical research trials and you can search by IVF, although we cannot confirm it is updated regularly.

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Happy New Year 2020! We have entered into a new year, and a new decade. Another opportunity to live out our purpose for our lives, for our angel babies, and future babies. It is a time to continue on the journey to healing, restoration, with hope and peace. In today's episode I share my word of the year and a recap of all that was accomplished with Sisters in Loss in 2019 and my goals for 2020 for the podcast and business.

My main goal of 2020 is to continue to be Resilient!

My word of 2020 is Resilience! Resilience means

1. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
2. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.

Resilience is you! Resilience is me! I am walking into 2020 Resilient as ever! How about you? How do you plan to be resilient in 2020? Share with me on instagram or in the sisters in loss facebook community at sistersinloss.com.

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Merry Christmas to you and your family! Remembering the Angels today as we celebrate with our family and friends. To all my moms in waiting God has not forgotten you continue to hold onto hope in 2020!

Today's episode is a REWIND episode back to Episode 19 with Tanika Dillard, Grief Specialist, TEDx Speaker, and Author of "Building a Family Breaks my Heart."

Tanika Dillard shares her recurrent pregnancy loss story including 2nd trimester miscarriages and a stillbirth. Tanika Dillard is a natural leader, motivational speaker, and trusted counselor to her peers. She is a credentialed certified birth and bereavement doula, where she offers compassionate physical, emotional, and spiritual support to expectant families in any trimester and any birth outcome. Tanika's passion for breaking the silence of pregnancy loss positioned her as founding member and Facilitator for Share Upstate Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group. Her efforts to honor the lives of her children and increase awareness on the taboo subject have uniquely connected her with medical professionals and grieving families across the globe. In August 2014, Tanika embarked upon a new phase in the literary revolution by releasing "Building A Family Breaks My Heart"; a best selling novel inspired by her blog writings. "Building A Family Breaks My Heart" is a magnificent work of heart, capturing the essence of despair from loss and the beauty of dreams fulfilled. The novel is sure to capture and connect the hearts of those who have experienced pregnancy loss, infertility, or supporters of those who have. Today's episode is for you listen to if you have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and the journey to building a family.

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Have you heard of the term blighted ovum? A blighted ovum happens when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine wall, but the embryo does not develop. Cells develop to form the pregnancy sac, but not the embryo itself. A blighted ovum occurs within the first trimester, often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

Today's guest experienced a blighted ovum on her secondary infertility journey. Angelica Gunn had her miracle daughter after experiencing preeclampsia and a NICU stay, she was ready to grow her family. After months of trying with no diagnosis she found out she was pregnant at her 7 week appointment there was no heartbeat. Angelica waited until 12 weeks for an ultrasound to find out she had a blighted ovum a sac without an embryo. She then experienced two more difficult miscarriages before getting pregnant with her rainbow baby. In this episode Angelica takes us on her secondary infertility journey, her 3 miscarriages, and her rainbow pregnancy journey. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a blighted ovum, secondary infertility or a miscarriage and how sharing your story will help others.

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