Breaking the Silence on Pregnancy Loss with Dr. Jessica Zucker

 

This week, Nikki sits down with Dr. Jessica Zucker, a Los Angeles-based psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health, and the creator of the viral #IHadaMiscarriage campaign. Jessica is the author of the award-winning books NORMALIZE IT: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women’s Lives and I HAD A MISCARRIAGE: A Memoir, a Movement.

Together, they unpack the silence surrounding pregnancy loss, the cultural conditioning that keeps women quiet about grief, and how empathy, not platitudes, creates true healing. Jessica shares her own 16-week loss, how it reshaped her work, and why storytelling is the antidote to shame.

Dr. Jessica shares:

  • Her personal story of a 16-week loss and why it “changed the course” of her life

  • The problem with comparison (“no trauma wars”) and why your loss matters because it’s yours

  • How the 12-week rule fuels silence and what healthier sharing can look like

  • What not to say (“at least…”) and the simplest, best opener: “How are you doing?”

  • Practical support ideas and how to have empathy vs. sympathy

  • The silence → stigma → shame cycle—and how storytelling breaks it

  • Self-compassion after loss, releasing self-blame, and the urge to “find the reason”

  • A preview of her new book on dismantling stigma across every stage of women’s lives


Show Notes: 

For more of Dr. Jessica, please visit

INSTAGRAM

*Warning- this podcast is completely unfiltered. If you are around young children, we suggest headphones.*
*Disclaimer: All opinions of our guests are their own and in no way represent that of Lexi Miles Corrin and or Nikki Bergen.*

 
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