Dr Michelle Wise, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist, answers some of the most frequently asked questions from pregnant women right now. Are pregnant women more vulnerable than non-pregnant women in getting Covid-19? The short answer is no. The research from around the world shows that pregnant women are not more likely than non-pregnant adults to … Read more
New Zealand needs Ginny Anderson’s miscarriage amendment – it’s a subject close to my heart, writes Alex Penk A bill to provide bereavement leave for miscarriages will soon face its first vote in parliament. It’s a subject that’s close to my heart. I can vividly remember the day, nearly six years ago, when I drove … Read more
Yesterday, MP Ginny Andersen’s Holidays (Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage) Amendment Bill was drawn from the members ballot in Parliament. It amends the Holidays Act 2003 to make it clear that women and their partners can get three days’ bereavement leave after a miscarriage. Kathryn Van Beek writes about why she pushed for this change, and why … Read more
Twenty thousand women experience a miscarriage every year in New Zealand, a country failing to provide adequate medical and emotional care, writes Kathryn Van Beek. Pregnancy loss and infertility counsellor Megan Downer is gearing up for Mother’s Day. The days before and after Sunday 13 May will be some of the busiest of her year. … Read more
Across the country there was celebration over the news prime minister Jacinda Ardern is pregnant with her first child. Privately, there was pain and heartache as those who wish for the chance to have a baby cope with the news. Alicia Young talks about compassion and empathy for those struggling. Remember that time we hosted … Read more
This Christmas many are struggling to come to terms with miscarriage and infant loss. In this personal essay, Lucy Kelly, a student midwife, shares her own story of the heartache of pregnancy loss. I remember as a child threading beads onto a piece of yarn in patterns. Blue yellow green. Blue yellow green. Square diamond … Read more
‘It hurts, and it’s hard, and it’s weird.’ Simon Sweetman writes about the miscarriages he and his wife suffered together, and the love that saw them through on their journey towards parenthood. Content warning: Simon talks about miscarriage in this post. If you have suffered a miscarriage this post may be upsetting for you. If … Read more
The excitement then the pain that follows – the experience of miscarriage has devastated many families. Rebecca Lewis sheds light on the private sadness that many families suffer in silence. Content warning: Rebecca Lewis talks about her experience of miscarriage in this post. If you have suffered a miscarriage this post may be upsetting for you. … Read more
In this, the third post in a special series for The Spinoff Parents, Alicia Young writes about her journey towards motherhood after having IVF and finding out she is pregnant. Read Alicia’s first and second posts in this series. Content warning: Alicia Young talks about her experience of miscarriage in this post. If you have recently suffered … Read more
Miscarriage is a heartbreaking reality for so many families, Liv van Leeuwen writes of her devastation at losing three babies in one year. Content warning: Liv van Leeuwen talks about her experience of miscarriage in this post. If you have recently suffered a miscarriage this post may be upsetting for you. If you need support please … Read more