200: Multiple Pregnancy Losses - Impacts on Mental Health and Subsequent Pregnancies

Today’s guest shares her personal story of recurrent pregnancy loss, including early miscarriage and multiple ectopic pregnancies. She shares how her mental and emotional healing journey led to the writing of a book. Kim Hooper is the author of several novels; her latest is No Hiding in Boise, which comes out this June. She and her co-authors wrote All the Love: Healing Your Heart and Finding Meaning After Pregnancy Loss as a mix of personal stories plus information and awareness from the clinical side. The book covers topics like reconnecting with your partner after loss, considerations for LGBTQ couples, trying again after loss, coping and healing, and racial, cultural, and socioeconomic issues. I’m thankful for Kim’s willingness to share her story of multiple losses, healing, and what it was like to finally give birth to a healthy baby after her long journey. Show Highlights: Kim’s complicated journey to motherhood: 1st pregnancy in 2015 ended as an ectopic that required emergency surgery 2nd pregnancy was a missed miscarriage when the embryo stopped growing 3rd pregnancy was a miscarriage at 17 weeks when her son’s heart stopped beating 4th pregnancy was another ectopic, and the doctor said it was “just bad luck” 5th pregnancy was totally normal and resulted in the birth of her daughter in 2017 How Kim tried to figure things out and get answers in her desperation The mental and emotional roller coaster of recurrent losses and pregnancies How Kim experienced anxiety, anger, and denial How Kim found support in unexpected places How to reconnect with your partner in the aftermath of pregnancy loss Why most men and women don’t grieve in the same ways The statistics: couples who experience miscarriage are 22% more likely to break up than couples who haven’t had a miscarriage How Kim and her husband were able to talk about their grief and recover as a couple How Kim personally turned to therapy and journaling to help her with the trauma The roundabout healing journey through grief The intensely personal aspects of grief and healing What Kim has learned about dealing with grief Details about Kim’s book and who it’s written for Resources: Connect with Kim: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Turner Publishing Co Authors: Dr. Huong Diep Meridith Resnik, LCSW