A couple whose world fell apart after a routine scan are urging people to do one thing.
Daniel Marsden and wife Becky had been trying for a baby for around six years and when Daniel left his job at the Navy, they had more time to plan. Their miracle came when they found out they were pregnant in 2018, leaving the couple over the moon.
Immediately they began planning their future and booked a private scan when Becky was around five weeks. Being told "everything was fine", the couple began to experience some spotting, but it wasn't until the 12-week scan their world fell apart.
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Daniel and Becky, from Wirral, were told their baby had no heartbeat which was the "hardest thing someone can go through". Daniel told the ECHO of his pain, walking out of a room full of expecting parents while they tried to hold together their shattered pieces.
The 34-year-old said he felt he was "made of broken glass held together by will". Two years later, the couple of ten years found out they were pregnant again but tragically, Daniel said the same thing happened.
He told the ECHO: "We have been trying since but haven't been lucky. I was trying to support Becky and put everything to one side in my mind, just got on with it but I had a breakdown in work.
"One of the lads said they were having a baby and it brought everything back up. I decided I needed to do something, to give me motivation and to raise awareness."
Daniel is urging people to do one thing - talk. He added: "I've found that men don't talk about it. One in four people suffer a miscarriage and when I started talking about it, I found people saying the same thing happened to them."
Since their miscarriages, Daniel has been completing a different fundraiser every year to raise funds for Tommy's, a charity that researches the causes and prevention of pregnancy complications, miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth and supports families. This year will see him complete his biggest challenge yet as he will walk the three peaks alongside friends Paul Moss, Sean Hayes and Carl Murton.
Daniel continued: "It doesn't discriminate. But Tommy's looks into preventative miscarriage care and research and we've found support from them."
For Daniel, he said he was told at three separate scans his baby had no heartbeat. He added: "You're sat in the same room as people going for their regular scans, trying to hold back the devastation.
"Everyone knew how much we wanted it and they were devastated, but now, years later, people ask if we are going to try again like its something you can shrug off. Becky still has periods of depression and I had a bout of PTSD."
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks. According to the NHS, miscarriages are more common than most people realise as it is estimated about one in four pregnancies will end in miscarriage.
Losing three or more pregnancies in a row (recurrent miscarriages) is uncommon and affects around 1 in 100 women. The NHS states the main sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, which may be followed by cramping and pain in your lower abdomen.
If you have vaginal bleeding, contact a GP or your midwife. However light vaginal bleeding is relatively common during the first trimester of pregnancy and does not necessarily mean you're having a miscarriage.
Daniel said: "I'd urge people to talk to each other, be patient and understand each other's feelings. Anyone wishing to donate can do so by clicking here. More information about Tommy's can be found here.
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