Jessa Duggar Shares Heartfelt Reflections on Pregnancy Following Miscarriage
Jessa Duggar is candidly discussing the “scary” sides of pregnancy following two miscarriages.
During the Wednesday, July 9 episode of her sister Jinger Duggar’s podcast “Jinger & Jeremy,” Jessa, 32, joined their sister Joy-Anna Duggar to talk about pregnancy, baby loss, and grief.
“I think it is scary,” Jessa shared when Jinger, 31, inquired about dealing with fear and anxiety after miscarriage. “It’s tough to let yourself feel excited when you see that positive pregnancy test because you feel like you’re bracing yourself. You’re thinking, ‘This could go the same way as last time.’”
Married to Ben Seewald since 2014, Jessa is a mother of five: Spurgeon, 9, Henry, 8, Ivy, 6, Fern, 3, and George, 18 months. After experiencing a pregnancy loss in 2020 and another in 2022, she is currently expecting her sixth child.
“I’ve known friends who have faced back-to-back losses, and it’s just devastation on top of devastation,” Jessa elaborated. “My losses weren’t sequential, but until I passed the marker of my last loss, it was hard to feel truly invested or attached, constantly worrying, ‘Any second, this could be gone.’ You’re terrified. Every time you go to the bathroom, you’re wondering, ‘Is there blood? Am I losing this baby?’ That’s the tough part.”
Despite the challenges, Jessa expressed that experiencing miscarriage brings a greater appreciation for her living children.
“I take much less for granted,” she said, acknowledging that although she sometimes complains about pregnancy’s typical discomforts, she feels far more grateful. “When I faced those pregnancy symptoms, like nausea, nearing the second trimester with one of my babies, I thought, ‘This is lasting so long.’ But then I realized, ‘It stopped early with the other baby I lost.’ I wouldn’t change anything; I’m thankful even for the tough parts of pregnancy because it means your baby is still there, and you’re still pregnant. I feel like it just made me more grateful and allowed me to cherish life even more.”
Joy-Anna, 27, also shared her insights after the loss of her stillborn daughter, Annabell. She and her husband, Austin Forsyth, welcomed son Gideon in 2018, but tragically discovered their second child had passed away during a 20-week scan. The couple later welcomed daughter Evelyn in 2020 and son Gunner in 2023.
“I experienced this internal struggle, thinking, ‘I’m so scared. I don’t want to get excited.’ But then I’d remind myself that I shouldn’t let fear control me. God has given us life, which isn’t in my hands, so I’ll trust Him. The next day, however, I’d find myself worrying, ‘What if this happens?’ It was a constant battle,” Joy-Anna shared about her experience navigating pregnancy after loss.
“I felt more at ease once I passed the 20-week milestone, but even after that, I’d still catch myself worrying. Austin would gently remind me, ‘Pregnancy paired with fear and anxiety isn’t good for the baby.’ He’d try to help me stay calm, but I often found myself praying for God’s help repeatedly because it wasn’t something I could just overcome; it became an ongoing struggle.”
Joy-Anna reflects on how the loss of Annabell ultimately led to the blessings she has today.
“We got pregnant with Evelyn about six months after [losing Annabell],” Joy-Anna recounted on Wednesday. “We wouldn’t have had Annabell and Evelyn together. So, looking back, while it was incredibly painful, we wouldn’t have our little Evy if we hadn’t lost Annabell.”
Meanwhile, Jinger is a mother to daughters Felicity, born in 2018, and Evangeline, born in November 2020. She and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, welcomed their third child, son Finnegan, in March 2025.
