Pregnancy loss affects millions each year – so why do so many women have to suffer in silence after a miscarriage or stillbirth? According to a 2021 Lancet Study, an estimated 23 million miscarriages occur every year worldwide: 44 pregnancy losses each minute. For those who have experienced a miscarriage or a stillbirth, the joy of welcoming a child into the world can quickly turn into a nightmare of loss and isolation. On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Idalina Leandro about the motivations for her documentary, "An Open Conversation," which aims to destigmatize pregnancy and infant loss. The conversation explores how the silence around pregnancy loss impacts parents differently, why mothers blame themselves and how the healthcare system fails to support grieving families.

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Research Links:

1. Canadian gynecologists group issues new compassionate care guidelines for miscarriage patients https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-new-guidelines-early-pregnancy-loss-patients/
2. Idalina Leandro’s ‘An Open Conversation’ Aims To Destigmatize Pregnancy & Infant Loss https://www.shedoesthecity.com/idalina-leandros-an-open-conversation-aims-to-de-stigmatize-pregnancy-infant-loss/ 
3. Pregnancy, Infant & Child Loss Support Centre https://pilsc.org/
4. Why those suffering miscarriages could benefit from specialized clinics https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/pregnancy-loss-sogc-1.7563527
5. My wife and I were left on our own after miscarriage https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mothers-day-miscarriage-pregnancy-loss-first-person-1.6836319
6. New Zealand approves paid leave following miscarriage or still birth https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-paid-leave-miscarriage-still-birth-1.5964604
7. Thousands of Canadians miscarry every year. For them, Mother's Day can be a reminder of loss https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mothers-day-grief-loss-1.7532302
8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028223017193
9. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00682-6/abstract
10. https://www.jogc.com/article/S1701-2163(25)00154-9/fulltext