Real Talk

Baby Loss Awareness Week: 9 Celebrities Share Their Grief

by Gretchen Gatan Fragada
October 13, 2022

October 9 to 15, 2022 is Baby Loss Awareness Week. It aims to provide bereaved parents with support. Here are a few celebrities who opened up about their grief after experiencing a miscarriage.

One of the most heartbreaking things a parent or soon-to-be parent goes through is a miscarriage or losing an infant. No matter how early it is in the pregnancy or how young the infant was, the pain continues to live on—even after their rainbow babies. (A rainbow baby is a baby born after a miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of an infant from natural causes.) As Baby Loss Awareness Week comes to a close, here are some celebrities who opened up about their grief.

1. Meghan Markle

In an opinion piece for New York Times, Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle revealed that she had a miscarriage in July 2020.

“Some have bravely shared their stories. They have opened the door, knowing that when one person speaks the truth, it gives license for all of us to do the same. We have learned that when people ask how any of us are doing, and when they really listen to the answer, with an open heart and mind, the load of grief often becomes lighter—for all of us. In being invited to share our pain, together we take the first steps toward healing.”

2. Jennifer Lawrence

Actress Jennifer Lawrence recently sat down with Vogue for its October issue. She talked about her life as a mother and the miscarriages she went through. Moreover, she mentioned why the Roe vs. Wade decision was personal to her. She had a miscarriage in Montreal and suffered another one while doing a film. She even had to undergo a D and C procedure. Hence, the issue of Roe vs. Wade was important to her.

“I remember a million times thinking about it while I was pregnant. Thinking about the things that were happening to my body. And I had a great pregnancy. I had a very fortunate pregnancy. But every single second of my life was different. And it would occur to me sometimes: What if I was forced to do this?” she said.

3. Chrissy Teigen

In 2020, TV personality Chrissy Teigen, who is married to John Legend, posted a photo announcing that she had a miscarriage with their supposed third child, whom they named Jack.

“We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before. We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions. It just wasn’t enough,” she wrote at that time. “We are so grateful for the life we have, for our wonderful babies Luna and Miles, for all the amazing things we’ve been able to experience. But everyday can’t be full of sunshine. On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out. But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it.”

4. Halsey

Singer Halsey opened up about suffering three miscarriages—including what she called an “aftercare” before welcoming her son in July 2021. In an opinion piece written for Vogue, she wrote, “I miscarried three times before my 24th birthday. It seemed a cruel irony that I could get pregnant with ease but struggled to maintain a pregnancy. One of my miscarriages required ‘aftercare,’ a gentle way of saying that I would need an abortion because my body could not terminate the pregnancy completely on its own and I would risk going into sepsis without medical intervention.”

As she recalled the struggles of the miscarriage and later welcomed her son Ender, she said the “long chapter” of miscarriages became a before part of her life. “It was simply divided into ‘before’ this moment and all things that would come after it. Years of blood and pain and misery from near-perilous and unwanted pregnancies, then the euphoria of chosen motherhood.”

5. Bettina Carlos

Former actress and author Bettina Carlos confirmed that she suffered a miscarriage early this year. In her message, she also reminded moms who went through the situation that they are not alone.

“We were pregnant and then no more,” Bettina said posting a photo of a pregnancy test kit and sonogram.” To all the mothers who have lost their children before they could even hold them, feel them, or see them (in the flesh or ultrasound), may you too find peace in this: God’s purposes for the lives of our unborn children were fully fulfilled however long or short they were IN us. Their lives did not go to waste.”

6. Kyla Alvarez

Kyla Alvarez, simply known to fans as Kyla, announced last June that she suffered her fourth miscarriage. She wrote on Instagram, “You have brought me so much joy, even for a few months that I carried you within me. It was all pure joy.”

“But losing you…again…for the fourth time is unimaginable. I can’t even put my feelings into words.”

The Hanggang Ngayon singer mentioned that it was hard for her to share the loss of her child because they didn’t even tell anyone yet about the pregnancy. “We wanted to share our excitement with our family but later on ended up sharing our grief. I am screaming and crying in my head and I couldn’t tell anyone.”

Despite the sadness she and her family went through, Kyla knows that things will eventually be okay. “I thank God for his presence in my life. I thank God for touching my heart right at this moment. Every day, I have to intentionally look for just about anything that’ll make me happy. I have to constantly remind myself that God has already placed people in my life to love—people that I need in life. He has blessed me with the best ones to love and love me back. Everything else is just a bonus.”

7. Britney Spears

Singer Britney Spears and her husband Sam Asghari announced last May that they suffered a miscarriage. “It is with deep sadness we have to announce that we have lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy. This is a devastating time for any parent,” the couple shared. “We will continue trying to expand our beautiful family. We are grateful for all of your support,” they added.

8. Nikki Valdez

Last December 2021, actress Nikki Valdez and her husband Luis Garcia celebrated their 7th anniversary as a couple. Nikki confirmed that they lost a baby and continues to pray for the right path in her family life after going through a failed pregnancy.

“Nasa healing stage pa ako. There are so many days na feeling ko hindi ko lang pinapansin. Pero no regrets. At least sinubukan namin. Pero I pray for the total healing of my heart. At kung talagang si Olivia lang ang regalo sa amin ni Lord, I will accept it and forever and take care of Olivia. Kami ni Luis,” Nikki said during an interview on Magandang Buhay.

(I am still in the healing stage. There are so many days I feel I just don’t see it. There are no regrets because at least we tried. But I pray for the total healing of my heart. And if Olivia is God’s gift to us by the Lord, I will accept it. Luis and I will forever take care of Olivia.)

Olivia is Nikki’s daughter from a previous partner.

9. Cha Cruz Behag

Volleyball player Cha Cruz Behag first opened up to Modern Parenting about her experience with miscarriage.

“It was really hard,” Cha admits. “It really had an effect on me. At some point, I grieved. There were so many realizations that my husband Ray and I both learned. It’s still hard for me to talk about it actually. But I think the grieving part is so important because you need it. Grieve for as long as it takes. It’s important to reflect and pray as well. The Lord will help you get through it. And you will realize that yes, I’m going to trust in His plan. This is the best plan for me at the moment.”

Let’s take time to remember and support bereaved parents this Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Baby Loss Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of baby loss during pregnancy, at birth, or in infancy while supporting bereaved parents and families. It’s also an opportunity for bereaved parents and their families and friends to unite with others across the globe to commemorate the lives of their babies. Lastly, Baby Loss Awareness Week is dedicated to eliminating the taboo on open discussions regarding pregnancy and baby loss. It’s time we normalize this conversation and support those who need it.