March of Dimes seeking to tell #UnspokenStories to help those who struggle in pregnancy

The March of Dimes wants women who have struggled in their pregnancy process to know that they are not alone.

“Sometimes, when pregnancies don’t go as planned, women often feel alone and isolated,” said Stacey D. Stewart, President of March of Dimes. “Whether it’s a loss or a miscarriage or maybe a baby that’s born prematurely, sometimes those situations are very, very difficult. It’s hard to talk about it.”

March of Dimes strives to lift up communities and celebrate every mother’s journey by amplifying their voices and their unspoken stories.

“We’re really launching a digital campaign using the hashtag, #UnspokenStories, so that women can come forward and tell those stories,” said Stewart. “When each woman comes forward and tells her story, it really gives support, not only to her, but to other women, as well who may have experienced something similar and really need to know that they are not alone.”

An estimated 10 percent of women in the U.S. ages 15-33 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We don’t need to stigmatize this issues that happen with pregnancy and childbirth,” said Stewart. “In fact, one out of ten babies in this country is born prematurely and we have lots of challenges with respect to gaps in our healthcare system that sometimes make it a little bit challenging for women when they’re trying to have a baby. We don’t want women to feel that they don’t have the support they need.”

The goal is to break down barriers and strengthen the community to stand together to bring better health to all. For more information, go to unspokenstories.org.