LOSS It's normal to feel grief and confusion when a pregnancy ends unexpectedly. Demystifying MISCARRIAGE Early pregnancy loss is common but still heartbreaking. Learn about causes and risks Having a miscarriage, meaning the loss of an embryo or fetus before 20 weeks of gestation, is an incredibly common-and often emotionally painful-occurrence. According to the March of Dimes, 10 to 15 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. 18 FA L L 2019 "Miscarriages are very, very common, and nature's reproductive system is not foolproof by any stretch. It's built into the system that there will be failures," says Felice Gersh, MD, an OB-GYN and member of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. But the fact that miscarriages are common doesn't make them any less devastating for a woman who has experienced one. Women often feel deep disappointment and grief in addition to the physical and hormonal changes involved in losing a pregnancy. That said, there is also hopeful news: According to the American Pregnancy