Miscarriage or stillbirth is a pain that no woman or family wished for. These difficult losses, however, don't mean that the sun won't shine again and six women are proving just that.
The six women, who are either pregnant or holding their young children while wearing rainbow-colored gowns, posed for a photo showcasing their "rainbow babies" or those who were born after their mothers had a miscarriage or stillbirth, Fox 2 Now reported. The vibrant photo has gone viral and as of this writing, has generated more than 25,000 likes on Facebook, 19,789 shares and nearly 3,000 comments. Check out the snapshot below.
Missouri photographer Alex Bolen shared the photo of the mothers on Thursday via the Shutter Darling Photography, LLC Facebook page. The picture was accompanied by a heartfelt caption which reads: "A rainbow is a promise of sunshine after rain, of calm after storms, of joy after sadness, of peace after pain, of love after loss."
"These mommas are just 6 out of the millions that experience pregnancy/infant loss every day. Some speak out. Some stay silent. Some have lost many. Some try for months or years. Some meet their sleeping angels. All loved and never forgotten," Bolen's caption continued.
Miscarriage or stillbirth is a sad and painful experience for numerous families that can seriously affect their health and well-being. In the United States, around one percent of all pregnancies are stillbirth, which means that approximately 24,000 babies are stillborn annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Miscarriage or stillbirth has three classifications: early, late or term. An early stillbirth occurs between 20 and 27 completed weeks of pregnancy, while a late stillbirth happens between 28 and 36 completed pregnancy weeks. A term stillbirth, meanwhile, occurs between 37 or more completed pregnancy weeks.
Miscarriage or stillbirth is caused by birth defects or genetic problems of the baby, complications with the placenta or the umbilical cord and certain medical issues of the mother such as obesity, high blood pressure or uncontrolled diabetes. Certain women have an increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
Teenage, unmarried, obese and black women have a higher risk of a miscarriage or stillbirth. Those who are 35 years old or beyond, are smoking during pregnancy, had a past pregnancy loss and have multiple pregnancies are also vulnerable to a miscarriage or stillbirth.
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