Charlotte Dawson shares devastating miscarriage: 'I'm heartbroken beyond words'

Charlotte Dawson has opened up about the heartbreak of suffering a miscarriage to her one million+ followers after taking a break from social media.

In a brave post baring her feelings, the reality star and actor, 29, admitted she and her fiancé Matt Sarsfield were "over the moon" when they found out they were expecting again on Mother's Day, but are now coming to terms with their loss.

The pair, who already share little Noah, one, had wanted to keep the pregnancy under wraps until they were further down the line.

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With an image of their son, and a video clip of Dawson excitedly telling him about his new sibling-to-be, the Ex on the Beach and Celebs Go Dating star said, "Hi my darlings, I finally feel ready to post this... I mean I don't know when there is a good time to post this. It's been an extremely tough week mentally but also obviously physically...

"I am heartbroken beyond words.. and I know I'm never quiet on here, & always so open and honest with you guys so it's been a shock to you all..

"I keep getting lots & lots of messages worrying about us all, asking why I'm being quiet & if Noah is ok.. Noah is absolutely fine.. he's amazing. I'm the one that's not ok.. unfortunately I've suffered with a miscarriage.

"Obviously our families & close friends have known about me being pregnant, but didn’t announce anything until I got further down the line.. I was so excited to share our happy news with you all. Noah’s little brother or little sister, as you can imagine Matthew & I were absolutely over the moon our little family was going to be growing.

"I also found out on mother’s day which was just so special. But sometimes it’s just not meant to be, I really thought it was but it just wasn’t this time."

Read more: Jessie J shares heartbreak of miscarriage after planning solo motherhood

Making others feel less alone, Dawson pointed out, "Miscarriages are so common & not spoke about enough. We are so heartbroken right now have no words and just don't feel up to posting being my happy silly self right now..."

Around one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage (one in five only counting those who realised/reported the miscarriage) and about one in 100 women in the UK experience recurrent miscarriages (three or more in a row), Tommy's Pregnancy Hub reports.

However, for those who have recurrent miscarriages, more than six in 10 women still go on to have a successful pregnancy.

Miscarriages can happen to anyone who is able to get pregnant. Most happen in the first three months of pregnancy, though they can occur up to the 24th week. Pregnancy loss after this point is known as stillbirth.

While miscarriage is very common, unfortunately most women don't find out what caused them to miscarry, with investigations limited and research underfunded. That's why in 2016, Tommy's opened the UK's first national centre dedicated to miscarriage research, to help prevent future loss.

Dawson also pleaded with people to stop sending her and Sarsfield nasty messages about their parenting and called out horrible forums talking about them. "I clearly show and say far too much, we are bloody good parents and Noah is so loved and is our life," she said.

"Thank you for all you love & support always, I don't ever want to let go of Noah.. I feel so lucky to have Noah, one day we will get our rainbow baby..."

A rainbow baby is a term used to describe a child born to a family that previously lost one or more children due to miscarriage, stillbirth ectopic pregnancies or other reasons.

Read more: New Zealand introduced bereavement leave for miscarriages – should the UK follow suit?

Many of Dawson's celebrity pals expressed their sympathies with her devastating news. Dani Dyer commented, "Oh char I'm so so sorry sending you all my love xxxxxx", while Kate Lawler wrote "I'm so sorry for you both Charlotte. Sending you so much love and strength. Xxx," Olivia Bowen "Love you so much angel so sorry", Ola Jordan, "So sorry hun. Sending you lots of love" and Jac Jossa "so sorry for your loss xxx."

Ashley Louise James added, "Sending you so much love darling easier said than done but ignore the nasty trolls - it's so clear Noah is loved and has your cheeky personality."

The post also inspired fans to open up about their experiences with miscarriage in the comments. "Sending you all the love in the world. I know your feeling and pain, I went through it twice in less than a year recently, It's such a heart wrenching feeling," wrote one. "One day our rainbow babies will arrive when we least expect it. With the love and support of each other you will get through this xx."

Dawson has since publicly thanked everyone for their support. Sharing a collage of Noah dressed up as the Easter bunny on her story, she wrote, "Thank you so much for all your love & messages..my dms are flooded with love, I promise to get back to you all soon. But please know your messages are everything. So grateful for every single one of you. Love you all xxx"

She then paid a sweet tribute to Noah, with a video of them laughing and cuddling together in bed. "Thankgod I have you… my Noah my bestest friend, my little shadow, my sidekick my beautiful baby boyo my sunshine always.. thank you for giving me the best job in the world being your mama, I'd be lost without you."

As Dawson expressed, miscarriages can be distressing emotionally and physically. If you or someone you know have been affected, you can call The Miscarriage Association's helpline on 01924 200799, email info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk or visit its pregnancy loss forum, which is a safe, secure and friendly space to share thoughts, feelings and experiences with others.

You should also seek advice from your GP if you are struggling after miscarriage.

Watch: Joss Stone reveals she is pregnant in emotional video after suffering heartbreaking miscarriage