Woman Sharing Her Miscarriage in Real Time Helps Others Feel Less Alone

In a candid and heartfelt video that has gone viral, Toronto-based content creator Sam Doll, 32, shared her personal experience with miscarriage, aiming to break the silence and stigma surrounding this common occurrence.

At the start of the clip, Doll openly states: "I am having one right now," setting a transparent and vulnerable tone for her story. She continues to discuss how her immediate family and friends have experienced miscarriages, leading her to believe they are much more common than we are told.

According to the Mayo Clinic, about 10 to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, but Doll believes the rate is closer to 40 percent.

She told Newsweek: "I think pregnancy in general is a taboo subject - it's so isolating that it's supposed to be this huge secret from everyone. I am so happy I told my friends about it because when I miscarried I had a whole support system."

"The whole reason you don't tell people is, I guess in case you miscarry? And then it's like, ok so you weren't going to tell people if you miscarried? I just don't get why any of this is framed as a secret or something you should be going through alone and that it's like a dramatic secret when you do tell it. It happens to a lot of women so I think the whole 'secret' thing is weird."

Shared on May 1, the video has racked up 562,200 views and over 57,000 likes on TikTok (@sam_d0ll) as it resonated with women all over the world.

Her perspective on the nature of miscarriages offers a refreshing and pragmatic view. She told Newsweek: "Every video I have seen on miscarriages has been a super dramatic devastating video and emotes the idea of 'losing a baby'. I understand how people feel like that, but I personally did not feel like I lost a baby.

"I also didn't feel like this was some crazy thing that happened to me. I have six girl cousins and five of them have had miscarriages - so I hated the idea that it's this one off, weird, tragedy, when it's not. It's a common thing that happens to a qter of pregnancies."

During the four-minute video, she states a doctor told her that he believes 40 to 50 percent of pregnancies end in a miscarriage.

"I was almost eight-weeks pregnant, but the baby was measuring small. Typically that can either mean you miscalculated your ovulation date, or that the baby was growing too slowly. In this case unfortunately it was the latter," Doll told Newsweek via email. Despite the heartbreaking situation, she remains hopeful. "I'm feeling ok - definitely trying to stay positive and hopeful.

She added: "The real devastation for me wasn't really about feeling like I 'lost a baby' - it was the let down from something so incredibly happy. And the mental anguish of waiting on tests and doctors to tell you if this is going to work out or not. Eventually it got to a point where I didn't care if it worked out, I just wanted answers. Of course there's other subconscious things that come with it – like for me I was spiralling about 'Am I healthy? Is something wrong with me?'

"I think that's the kind of stuff you just have to get out of your head because unfortunately miscarriages are common, but on the flip side, fortunately miscarriages are common so no one experiencing one has to feel alone."

TikTok Reacts

Doll's video sparked a crucial conversation about miscarriage, offering solace and solidarity to many women who have experienced the same. Her story is a powerful reminder of the importance of open dialogue and support during such challenging times.

"When I miscarried my first baby, the doctor told me 'most first pregnancies are miscarried,' which kind of made me realize how COMMON it is," said one user.

Another wrote: "Being vocal about my miscarriage with my [third] pregnancy at 15 wks i was floored at how many people just suffered in silence."

"It's so common you're right. I've had three miscarriages, 2 healthy full term pregnancies, and I'm 28 weeks with my [third] baby. Sending you love ! The stats are off for sure," agreed a third commenter.

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