Here's another of those inspiring stories -- this time from Britain's Mirror.co.uk publication. In the story, new parents Julie and Phil Turnock tell of how they have finally welcomed a baby girl after having five miscarriages and losing a baby who was born premature at 21 weeks. After her third miscarriage, Julie was diagnosed with a blood condition that doctors said was causing the losses, but she continued to have more miscarriages even after being treated. The couple feared they were "destined never to be parents," but they refused to give up hope without trying one more time -- and now they have welcomed their daughter Amy, who was born healthy after an uneventful pregnancy.

I like success stories. When I had three miscarriages in a row, I remember how much it helped to know that other people had been there and come out on the other side with a healthy baby.

If you yourself have a success story you'd like to share about giving birth after one or more miscarriages, share it here to help inspire others. If you're pregnant again but haven't given birth yet, you can share your pregnancy story too.

According to an article in Science Daily, Canada researchers have found an unexpectedly high percentage of pregnant women may be using prescription drugs that are not safe for pregnancy. In the study, 6% of pregnant women in Quebec were using drugs that were known to be harmful to developing babies. Over half of those women electively terminated their pregnancies due to concerns over birth defects, another 6% miscarried, and 8.2% gave birth to a baby with a major birth defect.

This particular study was conducted in Quebec, and it's hard to know what the rates are in other areas -- in the US, for example, there are programs in place to track women using some of the drugs mentioned in the article (such as isoretinoin) to ensure that they are aware of the risks. In some other cases, however, women might be taking medications without being fully aware of the pregnancy risks. This is one reason why it is a good idea to have a preconception visit with a healthcare practitioner if you haven't already, as this gives you an opportunity to review your medical history with your doctor or midwife to look for anything that needs changing before you become pregnant. But given that the majority of pregnancies aren't planned, it's also a good idea to know the safety status of any medications you need to use on a regular basis, whether you're planning a pregnancy or not. If you become pregnant unexpectedly, you should see a doctor as soon as possible to check if you need changes to your treatment plan.

In a recent study reported in JournalWatch, researchers have found that incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was fairly high in pregnant women who were interviewed in a telephone survey. Over 80% of the women in the study had a history that could potentially have triggered PTSD at some point in their lives, and about 8% had active PTSD. Having had a difficult miscarriage was one of the major risk factors for having active PTSD in pregnancy, along with a history of abuse or difficult experience with an elective abortion.

I do not find these results at all surprising. Past research has found that a small but significant number of women who have a miscarriage can end up developing long-term PTSD, and a larger number may experience PTSD symptoms in the immediate aftermath of the miscarriage. I would bet that even more women probably experience significant anxiety in the next pregnancy after the miscarriage, even if they don't qualify for diagnoses.

What is a good takeaway from this though is the conclusion of the JournalWatch article, which is that help is available for PTSD and other anxiety disorders. That doesn't just mean medication, which many women are naturally hesitant to use in pregnancy, but can also mean counseling referrals or extra supports. Thus, if you think you have signs of PTSD or serious anxiety as a result of your miscarriage, tell your doctor and see what help is available.

More information:

• Signs of Anxiety Disorders in Pregnancy
• Non-Drug Treatment for Anxiety
• About.com Guide to PTSD

I first saw this rumor online a few days ago, but according to an AHN report, Celine Dion's spokesperson has confirmed that the singer may have suffered a miscarriage. The reports are conflicting as to whether it was a miscarriage or a failed IVF procedure, as Calgary Herald reports, where the doctor initially reported a positive pregnancy result "incorrectly" (though that has the sounds of meaning a possible chemical pregnancy).

Dion and her husband have an 8-year-old son but continue to hope for a second child. Celine Dion reportedly had trouble conceiving the first time around also as was forced to turn to IVF for the pregnancy with her son also. I have no personal experience with fertility problems other than recurrent miscarriages, but I can only imagine that losing a pregnancy after you had trouble conceiving must have an extra sting to it. It must also be difficult to deal with these things in the public spotlight. My condolences to the family and I hope they are dealing okay.