In a Feb. 24 video update, Jessa Duggar Seewald reveals that she suffered a miscarriage just before Christmas. The 30-year-old former reality-show star, an outspoken Christian and pro-life advocate, had been near the end of her first trimester.
In response to the 18-minute video, titled “Heartbreak Over the Holidays,” some press coverage and online commenters are implying that Seewald had an abortion. She clarifies the baby no longer had a heartbeat and doctors recommended a dilation and curettage (D&C)—a procedure that has several medical uses.
Seewald was featured in TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” and the spinoff “Counting On.” She and her husband, Ben, have four children, ages 7 years to 18 months.
Jessa Duggar Seewald: Miscarriage Was ‘Complete Shock’
Jessa Duggar Seewald’s video begins with footage from last November, with she and her husband informing their children that a new baby is on the way. Then she describes a rough first trimester, with more morning sickness and fatigue than she’s experienced before. Plus, the entire household went through bouts of illness, leading to lots of cancellations around the holidays.
In footage filmed on December 21, 2022, Seewald mentions concerns about some spotting. Ahead of an ultrasound appointment the next day, her family comforted her by singing the hymn “Day by Day” during devotions. The lyrics refer to God’s great love for his children, which Seewald calls a “sweet reminder” because “I know as a mom, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my children.”
At the ultrasound, at about 11 weeks, Seewald noticed the technician seemed concerned. “The sac looks good; the baby does not,” the tech told the couple. “I was just in complete shock” and “immediately started crying,” Seewald says. As she and Ben processed the news, she wondered, “Why now?” and “Was it my fault?”
Reflecting on the Old Testament account of Job helped Seewald realize how it’s possible to still say “God is good” in the face of suffering. She adds, “I was able to thank God in that moment for giving us this life, even if we would never be able to hold this baby in our arms.”
‘World of Difference’ Between Miscarriage & Abortion
Because Jessa Duggar Seewald has a history of hemorrhaging, her doctor advised against passing the lifeless fetus at home. So she had a D&C at the hospital, which left her feeling “devastated” and “hollow.” Despite the heartbreak, Seewald says she felt God’s “presence and peace.” Next up, she plans to pause her social media posts and focus on recovery.
While some press coverage correctly describes Seewald’s experience as a miscarriage, at least one publication is using the word abortion. Parade magazine’s headline reads “Jessa Duggar Reveals She Had a Life-Saving Abortion.”
Josie Duffy Rice tweets: “To be clear this is a member of one of the most famous vocally anti-abortion families……admitting she got an abortion.” She later adds: “people in my mentions telling me she had a miscarriage not an abortion are proving our point. a d&c is the technical term for the abortion procedure. she experienced a tragedy and needed medical intervention. one of the many reasons abortion should be legal.” Rice also tweets: “Whispers *if the baby were definitively dead [Seewald] would have said that*”
