30-year-old Jessica Gullhagen from Lomen in Vestre Slidre has two sons. During both pregnancies, she chose to be open early on with both family, friends, acquaintances and strangers about the fact that she was expecting a child. She understands that many choose to wait until after week 12 to tell them they are pregnant – because of the risk of miscarriage during this period. Jessica does not believe that pregnant women should tell about their pregnancy early if this does not feel natural. But you shouldn’t wait to tell just because “everyone” else is waiting, she believes. – You shouldn’t pressure people to share it before they are ready themselves. But I don’t think you should wait because it’s an unwritten rule that you have to wait. BE OPEN: Being pregnant is not just plain. Jessica felt a lot of nausea and lethargy in the first trimester. Then it was good to have people around who knew. Photo: Private – Nice to be able to share the 30-year-old has herself worked as a nurse in the gynecology department. There she saw how common it is to have a miscarriage, and how many people are not aware of how often it actually happens. That is why she believes it is important to normalize talking about miscarriage. – There were a lot of people who went through it, and who hadn’t heard of others who had experienced the same thing – even though it happens all the time, she says. WANT TO NORMALIZE: Although there is a greater risk of miscarriage in the first three months, Jessica chose to tell everyone around her about her pregnancies early on. The 30-year-old has not experienced a miscarriage herself, but as a nurse she has seen what this can do to women. Jessica believes many people are not aware of how common it is. She believes that one should not hide the pregnancy just because it is an unwritten rule. Here she sits with her two sons shortly after birth. Felix is now 3.5 years old and Kasper is nine months old. Photo: Privat During her pregnancy with her youngest son, Jessica visited the snapchat account “Mødre i Valdres”. There she posted a post that she was ten weeks pregnant. The reactions were mostly positive. Many thought it was nice that she told about the pregnancy so early. But there were also people who questioned why she chose to share this publicly before week 12. Photo: Screenshot – I think it’s nice to be able to share it early, so you can be there for each other if things go wrong, she says about his own experience. WEEK 10: On the snapchat account “Mothers in Valdres”, Jessica posted that she was ten weeks pregnant. Then there were mixed reactions. She also shared about her pregnancy to others before this. Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news No conclusion According to Health Norway, it is assumed that between 10 and 30 out of 100 recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage. In 97 out of 100 cases, it happens within the first 12 weeks. The exact cause of most miscarriages is rarely investigated, but studies show that the majority occur due to genetic problems that prevent the child from developing normally, it says. Lena Henriksen is political leader of the Norwegian Midwives Association. She says that being open about the pregnancy before week 12 can have certain advantages. – Some of the women I have spoken to say they have told early on that they are pregnant so they can have someone to lean on if, for example, they should have an abortion. What increases the risk of miscarriage? Advanced age: A woman’s risk of miscarriage increases as she gets older. The risk is eight times greater for a 45-year-old woman than for a 20-year-old. The risk of miscarriage also increases as the father gets older. Changes in the uterus: Having an unusually short or weak cervix (cervix) can increase the risk. There can also be large muscle knots (myomas) in the uterus. Chronic diseases: Diabetes and metabolic disorders can increase the risk of miscarriage. Good prenatal care reduces this risk. Coagulation disorders: People with an increased risk of blood clots, so-called thrombophilia, have an increased risk of miscarriage. Obesity: Women who are very overweight have a higher risk of miscarriage. Two or more previous miscarriages: More than two miscarriages make future miscarriages more likely. Women who have had one miscarriage are no more likely to have an abortion than women who have never had a miscarriage before. Smoking and drug use increase the risk. Women who are pregnant should avoid alcohol. Source: Helsenorge UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL: – It is very different from person to person. It will be up to each individual. Some choose to tell it early, others don’t, says Henriksen. Photo: Sonja Balci / OsloMet Nevertheless, Henriksen does not want to advise women to do one thing or the other. It must be up to each individual, she believes – just like Jessica. – There is no definitive answer. But it is good to focus on it. Miscarriage is very common, but for each individual this happens to, this is a special experience. For them it is not normal. Were you open about/do you want to be open about your pregnancy before week 12? ? Yes, I think openness about the topic is important ? Not sure… It’s a bit personal after all ? No, I’d rather keep that to myself and my loved ones ? Show result I think openness can help affected women Elke Rønningen is a psychologist, coach and mental trainer. She says that women can often be reticent to talk about their own pregnancy to protect themselves, and not to let the joy go. – The second reason is probably the thought of what will happen if we lose the foetus. If we have shared the news with many, we must also share the grief with many, she says. CHEERS OPENNESS: – Isolation and loneliness make such an experience of loss much worse and can lead to brooding and a vicious cycle of negative thoughts. Openness in society and the experience that this does not just apply to me would probably help many, says Rønningen. Photo: elke.no Nevertheless, Rønningen believes that openness and good information are important. She believes the biggest benefit will be that affected women feel they are not alone in their experience. – Perhaps a good first step is to be open with those closest to you. Another thought is to have a conscious relationship with how we in society portray this about being pregnant and being able to have a child, says Rønningen. Rønningen has some tips for you who experience a miscarriage: Seek social support from someone you trust and have a secure relationship with. Talk about the grief and give yourself time and space to process it, but at the same time be careful not to let bad thoughts stick. Remember that this unfortunately happens quite often. It has nothing to do with who you are as a person and it’s not your fault either. Try to distract yourself with activities that you know you used to enjoy and get back to everyday life as quickly as you can. Talk to a midwife, nurse or other qualified healthcare professional about your thoughts and concerns, so that you get correct and qualified information and the emotional support you need.
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Jessica Gullhagen wants more transparency – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
