Celebrities Who’ve Had Miscarriages and Spoken Out

Losing an unborn child is not a subject that’s discussed openly in many circles, considering how frequently it happens.

It’s estimated that as many as 26 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, and up to 10 percent of clinically recognized pregnancies, according to StatPearls.

Most cases of early pregnancy loss occur in the first trimester, before the 12th week of pregnancy. But the March of Dimes reports miscarriage in the second trimester (between 13 and 19 weeks) happens in as many as 5 percent of pregnancies.

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Traditionally, couples kept that loss a secret from many friends and loved ones, even though research shows that the emotional weight of miscarriage is a heavy burden. According to a survey of 1,000 people conducted by researchers at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in the Bronx, New York, 47 percent of people who experienced a miscarriage reported feeling guilty, 41 percent felt they’d done something wrong, 41 percent reported feeling alone, and 28 percent reported feeling ashamed.

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“Miscarriages can be devastating to a woman and a couple,” says Alan Copperman, MD, the director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “This sense of loss is very real and can often take time to recover from.”

Enter the celebrities who have experienced this loss and are using their spotlight to help alleviate the guilt and sadness. “It can be empowering and normalizing for a celebrity to come forward with her story,” says Dr. Copperman. Here are 24 famous people who have helped bring this painful issue out of the shadows.