Miscarriage takes a toll on a family. There are physical effects and emotional effects that occur after a miscarriage that is complex, deep, and slow to heal. Luckily, genetic counseling can offer help and support during this journey. 

Even though it’s a common occurrence, miscarriage or pregnancy loss can be difficult to talk about. Miscarriage carries frequent misconceptions that can cause great stress. 

Feelings of anger, guilt, disbelief, numbness, sadness, and depression are common following the loss of miscarriage. Thoughts like “what could I have done differently?” are common. Grieving this loss is an important step in the process of healing. 

What Options are Available After Miscarriage?

If you’ve experienced one or more miscarriages or losses of pregnancy, there are many options available if you still want to start a family.

Surrogacy

While not a new method, this is one of the least talked about. Surrogacy is a straightforward process in which a baby is carried until birth by someone else than the parent or parents.

It is often backed by a legal agreement, many of which include compensation agreements and safety protocols. Through the process of in-vitro fertilization, an embryo is prepared in a laboratory, typically using the parents’ own DNA and occasionally a donor egg.

The embryo is then implanted into the surrogate, and the baby is then carried to term and delivered. The surrogate has no genetic relationship to the baby, and they typically receive compensation of some variety, agreed upon during the beginning stages. 

Adoption

This is one of the most common alternatives to traditional family growth. Typically, an adopted child has no genetic relationship to those who adopt them. Children can be adopted at any age, from infant to teenager. Adoptive parents can choose to enter an open adoption or closed adoption. 

Genetic testing

Genetic testing provides answers to families who have trouble conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to term. While chromosomal abnormalities are frequently the cause of many miscarriages, parents aren’t always aware that genetic testing is available. New technology allows genetic testing to be completed in a much timelier manner, even just a matter of a few hours. 

What Would Genetic Testing Tell Me?

• If there are extra or missing chromosomes. This is called aneuploidy.
• Where chromosomes originated. If the pair of chromosomes came from one parent, it’s called uniparental disomy.
• Missing or extra parts of chromosomes. These are called deletions or duplications. 
• Difficult-to-detect differences are attributed to genetic disorders.

When a miscarriage happens, families experience many different emotions and physical setbacks. Genetic testing is an excellent tool that helps provide answers to those who are struggling with miscarriage and pregnancy loss.