Karissa Collins, Parenting Influencer, Opens Up About Her Miscarriage Journey

Parenting influencer Karissa Collins is opening up about her experience with pregnancy loss amidst facing criticism online.

“I am currently, possibly, still pregnant with a missed miscarriage baby,” Collins, 41, mentioned in a TikTok video on Thursday, July 17. “I have not fully miscarried the baby, which I found out about a month ago. I have been carrying this miscarriage … anywhere from four to six weeks.”

She shared, “The baby passed six weeks ago, but it takes a long time for your body to figure it out.”

Earlier in July, Karissa had announced in a now-deleted TikTok video that she and her husband, Mandrae Collins, were expecting their 12th child. Unfortunately, she later revealed that she experienced a pregnancy loss, marking her fourth miscarriage overall.

“I found out in the ER about six weeks ago that there was no baby. I spent a lot of time mourning,” Karissa reflected. “I mourned this pregnancy for a while. I took a good two weeks off, got really close to God … and you can’t help but wonder if you did something wrong. I went through all those feelings.”

Karissa later consulted her OB-GYN, who said there was a baby, but it did not have a heartbeat. Subsequently, the fetal tissue began to “disintegrate.”

“It takes your body some time to realize that you don’t have a viable pregnancy and to expel [the tissue],” the social media personality explained. “Doctors typically give you three options: allow your body to naturally expel the pregnancy, take the abortion pill, or have a D&C.”

Having had several D&Cs in the past, Karissa decided to let the fetal tissue pass naturally this time.

“I always choose to let my body do its thing,” Karissa said. “Miscarriage isn’t simple. It’s not black and white. Many people think when you miscarry, it’s an immediate end, and you just continue with your life. But it doesn’t work that way. Many women experience missed miscarriages, and it can take weeks or even months.”

She added, “Whenever possible, I advise individuals to allow their bodies to function naturally. Only pursue interventions if absolutely necessary. I firmly believe the healthiest option is to follow the natural process your body was created to undergo.”

While coping with her pregnancy loss, Karissa shared a now-deleted video featuring her younger children playfully poking her belly, which led to significant backlash from social media users.

“I apologize. When I posted that video, I was not aware of how others would interpret it,” she stated on Thursday. “I never considered it in that light. It was a cute moment with my children, and I didn’t expect anyone to even see it.”

Karissa pointed out that her kids were squeezing her belly “like Slime and Squishmallows,” treating it as a sensory toy.

“It was such a funny moment. I wanted to capture the joy they found in my belly,” Karissa mentioned. “They were not hurting me or anything inside of me.”