Fitness influencer Meggan Grubb, 30, and her husband Niall Kirkland, a professional social media chef, had been trying to conceive a sibling for their two-year-old daughter, Winnie, for several months. Around Valentine's Day, Meggan discovered she was pregnant, igniting a rush of positive emotions and a vision for her family's new chapter. Her eagerness led her to test early, just three days before her period was due, with an initial positive result followed by a "not pregnant" reading on a digital test. Further tests the next day confirmed the pregnancy, allowing the news to settle in.

However, just five days after that first positive result, Meggan began her period, experiencing what is medically known as a chemical pregnancy. This very early miscarriage often occurs before a missed period, typically when the pregnancy is not viable, though no specific cause was identified in her case. "Between the first positive test and bleeding, I think it was about five days, so I was only pregnant for a few days," Meggan recounts. She describes the emotional impact as "unbearable," with the initial "euphoric feeling" and "endless possibilities" being "snatched away so quickly."

Because the loss happened so early and resolved on its own, Meggan did not need GP or hospital treatment, which she feels can make a chemical pregnancy seem as if it "didn't happen," keeping the experience private. She also dislikes the term "chemical pregnancy," believing it diminishes the reality of the loss. Many people are unaware they've had one unless they take early pregnancy tests, which have become more sensitive, revealing losses at the earliest stages. Meggan emphasizes that while some might say, "At least you know you can get pregnant," it is not a comforting sentiment for those grieving.

Meggan and Niall processed their grief differently initially. Meggan, feeling deeply attached due to the pregnancy being in her body, struggled to understand Niall's less intense reaction. About a week later, his grief surfaced in a "meltdown" as the reality hit him. After her loss, Meggan decided she couldn't keep her pregnancy a secret any longer. Telling friends and family brought immense relief and support, making her feel "a weight had come off." This experience encouraged her to speak publicly, leading to an overwhelming response when she shared her story online. Hundreds of women reached out, many revealing they had experienced similar early losses in silence, reinforcing Meggan's decision to speak out and challenging the notion that "women are made to feel like it's a secret."

The conversations highlighted how unsupported many women feel after miscarriage. In the UK, there is no legal right to specific miscarriage leave, though some employers and the NHS in England are implementing their own policies. Tommy’s estimates around 250,000 miscarriages occur in the UK each year, with other estimates placing the figure higher due to undiagnosed early losses. Meggan's belief in greater openness around early miscarriage has led her to work with Tommy's, an organization that funds research into miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth, and provides family support.

Through her experience, Meggan became aware of the limited formal support available after early pregnancy loss. She advocates for women to receive investigation and care after a first miscarriage, rather than waiting for multiple losses. Currently, the NHS defines recurrent miscarriage as three or more consecutive losses before offering specialized investigations. Meggan supports a campaign for support and medical review after a first miscarriage, a change Tommy's estimates could prevent over 10,000 pregnancy losses annually. A pilot study at Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research and Birmingham Women’s Hospital demonstrated that one-to-one consultations with specialist nurses after a first loss are effective and achievable without significant additional workload for NHS teams. Scotland has already incorporated this new model into its miscarriage care pathway.

Baroness Merron, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care, acknowledged the devastating impact of pregnancy and baby loss and stated that the findings would be carefully considered, emphasizing that the renewed Women’s Health Strategy prioritizes women’s voices. Additionally, a 2024 scheme was launched, allowing parents who lose a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy to apply for a free certificate to formally recognize their grief, addressing the feeling of being ignored as babies born before this stage do not require official registration. These certificates are available for losses occurring since September 2018.

Despite her profound experience, Meggan remains hopeful about growing her family and emphasizes to other women that their grief is valid, regardless of how early the loss occurs. "A loss is a loss," she states. "They all count."

A chemical pregnancy, also known as a biochemical pregnancy, is a very early miscarriage typically occurring around five weeks. It is detected by early pregnancy tests that measure pregnancy hormones, but the embryo is lost before it can be visualized on an ultrasound scan. Many individuals may not realize they had a chemical pregnancy if they don't miss a period or take an early test. Modern tests, however, increase awareness of these early losses. Signs can include an initial positive pregnancy test followed by a negative one, mild cramping, bleeding similar to a period even after a positive test, or low/decreasing levels of pregnancy hormone (hCG) on a blood test. Chemical pregnancies are often caused by chromosomal problems, where an embryo has the wrong number of chromosomes and cannot develop, or sometimes by issues with the womb lining preventing proper embryo implantation.

Support is available for those affected through Sands on 0808 164 3332 or via email at [email protected].