What to know about second trimester loss as Tyson Fury discusses wife Paris' miscarriage

Jess Bacon
·Contributor
Updated ·5-min read
Paris and Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury has opened up about his wife Paris' second trimester loss earlier this year (Getty Images)

Tyson Fury has revealed that his wife suffered a miscarriage earlier this year, six months into her pregnancy.

The boxing heavyweight champion shared that his wife, Paris, lost their eighth child back in May, on the evening before his fight with Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking about the tragic event, Fury said: "She was six months pregnant. It's not like a small miscarriage at the beginning - you have to physically give birth to a dead child, on your own, while your husband is in a foreign country. To go through that on your own isn't good."

Though, Paris didn’t tell Tyson about the miscarriage before the fight, he said “I knew there was a problem” and he even said to his brother "'she’s lost that baby.'"

"When I got back I got the inevitable confirmation that it was gone, but she had kept it to herself," he added. "I could not be there for her in that moment. And that's tough for me.

"I have been with the woman for longer than I wasn't with her, so it's hard that I couldn't be there with her in that time."

Second trimester loss, which is also known as a late miscarriage, can occur during the 14 to 22 weeks of your pregnancy and happens to around 3-4 in 100 (3 to 4%) pregnancies according to the pregnancy and baby charity, Tommys. Meanwhile, around half of adults in the UK have experienced baby loss, or know someone who has.

It is still unknown why miscarriages happens, but things that increase the risk include age, pregnancy history and existing medical conditions. Deirdre de Barra, Head of Pregnancy Information at Tommy’s, the pregnancy and baby charity said: "We don’t actually know how many people every year experience this very traumatic type of loss, but we do know that losing a baby in your second trimester of pregnancy – between 14 and 22 weeks – is much less common than having a miscarriage earlier on."

Though, the charity emphasises that is extremely likely to go onto get pregnant again after a miscarriage and deliver a healthy baby. As this is such a rare condition, here’s 6 facts about second trimester loss:

The mid adult woman weeps and mourns alone in her hospital room after losing her baby.
Though there is little research about late miscarriages, Tommy have shared their advice to support anyone going through a second trimester loss (Getty Images)

Similar to an early miscarriage, the most common signs of a second trimester loss are vaginal bleeding, cramping pains in your stomach or abdomen, clear liquid from the vagina or the baby’s movements slow down, change or stop altogether. De Barra adds: "If you have any of these symptoms, you should let your midwife or maternity unit know immediately."

One of the lesser known aspects of second trimester loss is that most people will still give birth to their baby naturally, usually after being induced in the hospital.

"Second trimester loss is not well-understood generally and people can find it very distressing to hear it described as a miscarriage, which is not commonly associated with having to give birth to your baby," De Barra says. "Many people think this only happens with a stillbirth. However, a loss will only be formally recorded as a stillbirth if it happens from 24 weeks of pregnancy onwards, or if your baby is born alive but sadly does not survive."

After a late miscarriage, doctors may do an investigation and further tests such as a post-mortem to discover the reason for your loss to find out how this may impact future pregnancies. All of this only happens with the parents consent and it may take several months to get the results.

After a second trimester loss, it is normal to experience heavy bleeding for around two weeks and light bleeding for up to six weeks. There might also be clots and lumps in this too.

Alongside this, it’s common to have stomach cramps that almost feel like contractions or strong period pain straight after a miscarriage. Take painkillers, rest and use a hot water bottle to help relieve some of the pain and discomfort.

In the UK, there is currently no standardised guidelines on how to support a person who has lost their baby in the second trimester. Tommys are campaigning to change this so that late miscarriages are not only documented properly - as currently the stage of pregnancy isn’t recorded with a miscarriage - but also there’s a standard of after care for families going through this loss. Research is also vital, as De Barra adds: "We need more accurate information so we can understand more about why it happens, who is most at risk and how to prevent it."

Baby loss at any stage of pregnancy is an extremely traumatic and painful form of grief, and it’s important to acknowledge this loss and try to support your bereaved loved ones.

"Many people find it really hard to know what to say to someone who has lost a baby, because they’re embarrassed or worried they’ll say the wrong thing," De Barra continues.

"That’s understandable but it can make it even more difficult for the person affected, if they feel their grief and the existence of their baby isn’t being acknowledged. Saying something as simple as: 'I’m so sorry about your baby' will show someone you care and are ready to talk about it, if that’s what they want."

For more information and support you can visit Tommy’s or stillbirth and neonatal death charity, Sands UK.

Read more about miscarriages and baby loss:

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