Loneliness, anxiety, and depression are common emotions felt by women who have experienced pregnancy loss. And many times women are forced to deal with these feelings alone, separated from others who can relate. Support for these women can be limited because of the lack of sensitivity and acknowledgment, lack of follow up care, lack of medical information, unwanted advice from others, and the false presumption that recovery happens quickly (Pang et al., 2018).
With this lack of support, women tend to turn to internet sources in search of solace and information about pregnancy loss. Research suggests that gaining information and emotional support can potentially reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, and other complications that women face (Pang et al., 2018). Online blogs give women an outlet to share their stories and find the emotional support they need to cope with their loss.
Pang et al. (2018) suggests, “that women are reluctant to share miscarriage stories on public social networking sites (SNSs), and desire spaces to disclose their experience without the risk of negative responses.” This supports that online resources and giving women a public space to reveal to others what they are going through, without unwanted opinions, can serve as a great coping method.
Why do women read miscarriage blogs?
Need for Information:
Pregnancy loss is not often discussed unless someone is experiencing it personally. When women are first made aware of the possibility of a miscarriage, they tend to seek out information that hospitals/doctors fail to provide. Women look for the causes, frequencies, and symptoms of miscarriages so that they are better informed (Pang et al., 2018). The fear experienced during pregnancy loss can be elevated by limited knowledge regarding miscarriages. Particularly in light of limited in-person resources, online resources can become a woman's lifeline in this time of need.
Need for support:
As previously mentioned, limited social support can have a significant impact on women’s emotions after a loss. Online information sources can help women cope with their pregnancy loss experiences. Pang et al. (2018) mentions that women find comfort in reading others’ stories. “(The website) made me feel like there was a whole army of women who have been through this before” (Pang et al., 2018).
Delivery style of information:
A major benefit of the internet, in general, is how quickly and easily it can be accessed. Nowadays, almost everyone has access to the internet. It is also time-efficient, providing immediate answers to questions. Women often find this more helpful than listening to medical professionals speak in complicated medical terms.
Another benefit of online sources is the ability to share and read information without the exposure to negative feedback. Pang et al. (2018) suggests that an online community can be more safe and intimate for women who feel alone in their time of grief.
It is clear from the research that there are benefits to both writing and reading miscarriage blogs. A key part of “breaking the silence” surrounding miscarriage is to bring awareness to individuals, who may or may not have experienced pregnancy loss firsthand, so that those experiencing pregnancy loss can feel supported.
Pang, P. C. , Temple-Smith, M., Bellhouse, C., Trieu, V., Kiropoulos, L., Williams, H., Coomarasamy, A., Brewin, J., Bowles, A., & Bilardi, J. (2018). Online health seeking behaviors: What information is sought by women experiencing miscarriage. Connecting the System to Enhance the Practitioner and Consumer Experience in Healthcare. doi:10.3233/978-1-61499-890-7-118.
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