3 Strategies to Navigate Work after Pregnancy Loss

This article was originally published by NBC News and Know Your Value.

Twelve weeks into an otherwise healthy pregnancy, Jessica Voit went to her OB-GYN last year for a routine visit. The 31-year-old assistant professor in geriatrics and internal medicine was devastated to hear the news that her baby’s heartbeat couldn’t be detected. In shock, she left the ultrasound room and walked back to her Ann Arbor, Michigan, office to share she had a miscarriage with three of her closest colleagues.

“I don’t know what words came out. I was just crying. I told [my colleagues] before I told my parents. There wasn’t a second of hesitation to share this with them,” she recounted to Know Your Value.

For some like Voit, it may be natural to discuss pregnancy loss with co-workers. For others, it’s a deeply private issue – but may be unavoidable to talk about if the pregnancy was far along. Or, it may be somewhere in between. No matter the situation, it’s often difficult to navigate the physical and emotional toll of a miscarriage when you’re back at work.

But it doesn’t have to be or feel impossible. Click here for three strategies that can help with the challenges of returning to work after pregnancy loss.