Duchess is praised for breaking taboo
GRIEVING parents have shared their own heartbreaking stories as they praised the Duchess of Sussex for speaking out about the pain of miscarriage.
Many thanked her for helping to break down the taboo around it, while others also sent their condolences.
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who suffered a miscarriage many years ago, said her experience had been “almost exactly the same”.
She said: “My heart just goes out to her, it’s just so sad. And how she’s done it is absolutely brilliant.”
Lorraine, 60, said talking openly about losing a baby with close friends and family had helped her cope. Her only child Rosie, now 26, was six at the time.
Speaking on her
ITV breakfast show, Lorraine said: “I know that Archie’s a lot younger than that.
“But I know that will really help, having another child to focus on.”
Author and mental health writer Matt Haig, 45, said it was “healthy and healing” to talk openly about miscarriage.
He tweeted: “My wife went through a miscarriage two years ago. We were in Australia and felt alone. It was so traumatic. To grieve a future that wasn’t there.
“It also felt difficult to talk about. A strange taboo. It is so healthy and healing when anyone talks about this topic so openly.”
This Morning host Phillip Schofield, 58, said he had struggled to understand why the stigma remained around the subject of miscarriage.
After reading an excerpt from Meghan’s article on the show, he said: “We have had interviews here, but I have never been able to understand the cruelty of nature being described as ‘ shame’ by a woman.
“But it is still part of that label that women put on themselves, there is a stigma, there is shame to having this happen to you.
“Hopefully this will, once again – you can’t sort anything overnight – but be another chip in that wall.”
Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid, 49, also expressed support for Meghan, writing on Twitter: “The Duchess of Sussex writes with painful, personal insight about the truly tragic loss of miscarriage. This will be a solace to anyone who has suffered, particularly if they have found it hard to express the grief.”
Meghan’s decision to share her story publicly came after American model Chrissy Teigen – wife of US singer John Legend – shared a photo of herself crying in hospital after suffering a miscarriage halfway through her pregnancy.
She was staunchly defended on social media last month after some criticised her decision to share the private moment.
Author and journalist Elizabeth Day tweeted yesterday: “Chrissy Teigen and the Duchess of Sussex speaking openly about something that historically has given women so much pain, shame and trauma, is a game- changing step.
“I, and countless others, am so grateful to them. Beyond that, I simply want to tell them: I am so, so sorry.”
Social media sites were also flooded with messages of support from members of the public.
One Twitter user wrote: “I will always applaud women like Chrissy Teigen and the Duchess of Sussex for sharing their tragedy.
“I suffered mostly in silence with my losses as have many others that have gone before me and many since. We need to talk about # miscarriage and the debilitating grief.”
Another revealed Meghan had made her mum “share her miscarriage story with me, 30 years later. I just found out my mom suffered a miscarriage before she had me. Twins! I don’t know what to say.” Charities and doctors also backed calls for the stigma to be tackled.
Dr Christine Ekechi, a spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “Miscarriage remains a taboo subject, despite how common it is.
“It is important that we remove any stigma or shame surrounding this issue and adequately support families during this time.
“We welcome open discussion about miscarriage and encourage women to share their experiences, where they feel comfortable to do so.”