I'm Sorry for My Loss is a very powerful book that tells the story of women of childbearing age in modern day America. Rebecca Little and Colleen Long inform us on the history of pregnancy, loss, abortion, and of course grief throughout the past few centuries - as technology has changed, reproductive healthcare has changed, and politics have made their way into family planning. Similar to Lara Freidenfelds The Myth of the Perfect Pregnancy: A History of Miscarriage in America, I'm Sorry for My Loss brings forth the challenges women face as pregnancies are known just a few days after implantation, losses are scrutinized by the government, and disenfranchised grief looms large.

This book provides both a historical telling and personal stories from the authors and women they've interviewed. If you are a woman who is pro-choice, I think you will find this book informative, enraging, and also comforting if you've experienced a loss. This book may be polarizing to people that are pro-life or even those with a loss. As a perinatal therapist, I have worked with many clients who've experienced loss, and no two women are the same in how the process their grief. Read with caution, depending on where you are mentally. I think the TFMR (termination for medical reasons) community would find comfort in this book, as they are greatly left out of many conversations related to grief - much life abortion in general - and this book really gives them a voice.

Although this book obviously veers greatly into politics, I was still able to enjoy it. I was hoping this was more about pregnancy and infant loss, but it was much more than that, for better or for worse. This is very much a book about abortion and abortion rights. For some critiques - at times I had a hard time following the very inclusive language usage (i.e. "her husband has been on testosterone for eighteen years but has a uterus" - I had to re-read that one), which thankfully felt mostly limited to the beginning of the book. I do wish some of the personal stories were differentiated in a separate way, as some of the stories seemed to be longer, but some ended abruptly leaving me wondering if we were going to revisit it. Revisited stories also left me having to search previous chapters, as I could not recall a small story I read 10 chapters ago since there were many one-off stories sprinkled throughout each chapter.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebook, and the authors Rebecca Little and Colleen Long for an ARC of I'm Sorry for My Loss An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America.

This is the book that mothers need, especially mothers who have suffered a miscarriage or lost a child in another way. I felt the book was incredibly well-researched, empathetic, historically accurate, and truthful. There is a powerful message throughout, that we should believe women, and believe their experience. If a woman is grieving, believe her. If a woman is carrying an unwanted pregnancy, believe her. It is so important in this day and age post-Roe being overturned, for this book to address the facets of pregnancy and loss.

This book outlines the emotional, physical, cultural, and legal complexity of pregnancy loss in the United States. It is a refreshing and devastatingly honest approach from authors who intimately understand the subject. Recommended for anyone needing an anchor into the subject. The writing was visceral and straightforward, at times with humor as a coping devise. Readers will appreciate the open minded, apolitical approach.

AS someone living outside of the USA, this was rather mind blowing, not something at all that I would usually read. My heart goes out to those who have to deal with the repercussions of the politics vs healthcare struggle

4 stars - Important, moving and timely when reproductive rights are so imperiled & as a "Chidless Cat Lady" myself, this one was also personal. Many of us have complicated reproductive histories, often with both loss & ambiguity, which is NOBODY'S DAMMED BUSINESS!! Reading this was so helpful right now & ROEVEMBER is coming soon!! Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the advanced reader's copy - so, so grateful to have read & reviewed it!

This is a vitally important, very personal, and beautifully written book. It should have a prominent place on the shelves of anyone concerned about reproductive and maternal healthcare, reproductive rights, and the state of healthcare and mental health care in our nation.

An incredibly important portrait of pregnancy loss and choice. Colleen Long put into text the very conversations that make up the fabric of modern womanhood. I'm glad to see the conversation continue in print as it becomes louder in groups of friends, between mother and daughter, and the public. As a therapist, I'll be keeping this on my list of recommendations for clients, and as a woman, I'll be passing it along to friends.

A comprehensive, valuable and interesting look at miscarriage, stillbirth (and abortion). Thought-provoking, and (dare I say it) at times, funny. Glad I read it!

Rebecca Little and Colleen Long have written a powerful, memorable, must-read book about pregnancy loss in I'm Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America. One-third to one-half of women experience a pregnancy loss due to miscarriage, stillbirths, or terminations for medical reasons. Yet it's something that is rarely talked about and in our post-Roe era, the impact and unintended consequences are tragic.

Hospitals and doctors, particularly in states with restrictive abortion legislation, are afraid to treat women who are experiencing serious pregnancy complications or situations where there are fetal anomalies. The result is that some women who decide to terminate a wanted pregnancy due to fetal anomalies or because the baby has died in their womb are sent to abortion clinics and must walk the gantlet of protestors in order to receive care.

Very few doctors provide information when a woman is pregnant about the possibilities or symptoms that something could go wrong. Annually, one million women experience a pregnancy loss. There are incredibly horrible stories in the book, particularly for Black women, about doctors who don't listen to their patients' concerns about their pregnancies....unfortunately the outcome can be very dangerous or deadly.

The statistics that are provided in this book include:
* One in four women have gotten an abortion

* A research study in 1953 showed that 24% of married women had an illegal abortion and 9 out of 10 teen pregnancies resulted in an abortion

* The current infant mortality rate in the US is 33rd out of 38 developed countries

* The current US maternal deaths is 32.9 per 100,000. The next closest country is the UK at 10.7 deaths per 100,000. Black women in the US who experience maternal deaths is 69.9 per 100,000. Maternal death rates are an indication on how we view women's health.

* 69% of Americans believe abortion should be legal for the first trimester

* Pregnancies are more fatal than abortions when abortions are legal

* Maternal mortality rates are the highest in states with the most restrictive abortion laws. Idah0 has stopped tracking maternal mortality rates; it is one of the most restrictive states for abortion.

* 60% of the women in The Turnaway Study were already mothers. It is a myth that abortion is used as a form of birth control. Many mothers want to limit the number of children due to financial concerns.

* Stillborn rates are still the same as 15 years ago.

One of the scariest parts of the book was that doctors who are worried about stringent abortion laws and "bounties" for those who turn in doctors and patients for having an abortion have started performing hysterectomies on women who come to them for an abortion. YIKES. WTH!

Troubling, insightful, and memorable book that should be read by women and men.

Currently I am 25% of the way in. The book is an excellent mix of educational, including history and statistics, as well as personal by including stories from women who have experienced pregnancy loss—including the two authors.

I appreciate that the approach is inclusive and intersectional. It also takes a deeply thoughtful approach to a sensitive topic that isn’t often discussed beyond the confines of our most sacred spaces.

This book is hard to put down and I can easily see myself recommending it to many of my friends. This is an important read for everyone to better understand pregnancy loss; to better understand it and to better support those who have experienced it. I’m looking forward to reading the rest.

Note: this review will be updated when I finish reading the book.

A heart touching memoir of grief, this book was well written and something that we all need to read. It made me weep a few times yet it was an excellent read for the concept and the depth alone.

Since the overturn of Roe Vs Wade, a woman's choice to choose has been taken away in many states.
Termination of pregnancies that were previously performed for medical reasons are under attack with the
medical community not sure how to proceed based on the laws in effect. Heart wrenching stories from women who suffered from miscarriages and stillborn births are told along with the guilt and shame they felt due to the way society deals with these topics. Impact of racism and misogyny is also covered. This book should be required reading to better understand reproductive rights, past and present, and the effect on women's health.
#ImSorryformyLoss #Sourcebooks #NetGalley

I am not American but i’ve always been fascinated by what makes this weird nation tick and you know what
it’s the capitalism-led patriarchy. anyway this was an arc on netgalley and it piqued my interest and thought i would check it out , was pleasantly surprised .
the topics discussed wether it’s abortion or just plain female patient care that’s regarded as a nuisance
it’s universal, the problems are universal and for this book to show all of this , specially currently with the ongoing genocide in gaza where women are dying wether it’s by american-funded israeli bombs , lack of period products , no hospitals to give birth in
i think this book does highlight how women’s bodies are never truly ours and how the big man (namely america here) fucks us all over all around the world
anyway this was a good read!

This is a really powerful book. The two women who wrote it share their own experiences with miscarriage and how hard it is to talk about in today’s society. Before modern advances like pregnancy tests, many women didn’t even know they miscarried unless they were much farther along, so many didn’t grieve the loss of a child. And sadly, many children died young and mother’s were so accustomed to it, they didn’t give themselves the luxury of grieving. But as medicine has advanced, women have become more knowledgeable about their bodies and that combined with our emotions, has allowed us to feel more connected to our bodies during pregnancy. But sadly, health care has not improved much for women. We still struggle with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with women of color having the highest death rate among all women, b/c racist and ingrained beliefs keep medical workers from providing them with the care they deserve. These women are often ignored or disbelieved or even accused of falsehoods, like being on drugs or alcohol.

How we expect women to survive when our rights and freedoms are constantly being undermined, taken away or ignored, I’m not sure. It one thing is for certain and the authors make this very clear: childbirth, no matter how advanced our society is, is still inherently dangerous for women. And not receiving the appropriate care needed, many women will continue to suffer and even die from complications. This book was wonderfully written and they authors also have a great sense of humor which keeps it from getting downright depressing. I hope anyone who read this book feels more enlightened about where women stand and how we can change that for the better.

As someone who has had an abortion of wanted pregnancy, and volunteers in reproductive rights, this book is absolutely critical reading in the Post-Roe landscape. It felt so nice to be SEEN as other publications completely dismiss circumstances such as my own. It was also really gratifying to see so many concerns that I have around the categorization of medical treatments and how they impact individuals brought to a larger stage. I loved the bits of humor (as a later abortion loss mom that uses some myself!) and the pacing of the book. I highly recommend this and will be buying copies to give to others.

This is a deeply important book that sheds light on an aspect of reproductive justice that has received relatively little attention: the loss of wanted pregnancies. With humour and sensitivity, the authors explore how Americans have historically viewed miscarriages and the wrong footed ways in which society responds to them. It also sheds light on the very thin line between miscarriage and abortion (for instance, the deliberate early induction of a terminally ill fetus is not easily categorized) and the harmful impact that rigid abortion laws have on miscarriage care. I loved that the authors included the experiences of women of colour and nonbinary and trans pregnant people, and explored the unique ways pregnancy loss impacts these groups. This book gave me, someone who has never been pregnant, some much-needed understanding of these issues and why they are important. This is such a crucial read.

I initially wanted to read this book because I was interviewed for it. I was curious to see if/how my story was written about. After I started reading though, I couldn't put it down. This was such a phenomenal read. Rebecca and Colleen wrote an amazing book. I plan on recommending this to EVERYONE, no matter their views on loss, abortions, politics, etc. I've pre-ordered a kindle copy AND a paperback.

I loved all the bits of humor and asides by the authors. I cried and grieved for those who have lost.

I found the history on loss (miscarriage and abortions) to be fascinating. The profound change we as a society have gone through even in the last 100 years and how we view pregnancy and loss is eye-opening. Do not hesitate to read this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow. 'I'm Sorry for My Loss' shines light on some very important topics that are easy to shy away from and can feel embarrassing (even though they shouldn't be) to discuss with others. This is the first time I have voluntarily decided to read a book with this much information and importance; but it felt like knowledge every woman should know and I wanted to take a try at it. That being said, I was mentally preparing to be overwhelmed. I was ready to feel like I was reading a textbook from school and be utterly confused. However, it was not like that. The pacing of this book was done very well and the format made it easy to digest. The amount of humor sprinkled in was a nice touch to lighten up the passages without taking away from the overall message. I appreciate the amount of work that went into putting this book together and I will be recommending this to all the women in my life. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book early before publication.

As a mother who has lost a child and almost another, this is so important. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this, I’ll be sharing with everyone I know.