By: Jocelyn Abyad

As a cradle Catholic, I developed a pro-life belief system from a very early age. As a young adult, I prayed outside abortion clinics and debated the evils of euthanasia among my college peers. I knew with conviction that life begins at conception and should be protected until its natural end. But at 40 years old, I heard the words that every pregnant woman fears most, “I’m sorry, there is no heartbeat,” and my life was forever changed. Immersed in the intense grief that followed my first miscarriage, I realized that I had no idea how to care for my own 10-week-old baby who had passed away. Through marriage prep and Natural Family Planning (NFP) classes and many years as a mother, the topic had simply never been raised. Amidst all the pro-life talks and presentations, miscarriage care had never been brought up.