“One Tree Hill” star Hilarie Burton opened up about having multiple miscarriages in a candid Instagram post

While we want to congratulate One Tree Hill star Hilarie Burton on the birth of her first daughter, we also want to thank her. The actress revealed photos of her new baby with husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan while also broaching the topic of miscarriage. It’s a reality that affects so many women, yet it’s still seldom publicly discussed. Burton used her platform to say that while her daughter is a true blessing, she spent five tough years trying to have a second child.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, miscarriage — or, a pregnancy lost after less than 20 weeks  — happens between 10-25% of all recognized pregnancies. Chemical pregnancy, which is a pregnancy that fails soon after implantation (and often before a woman realizes she’s conceived) is even more common, with anywhere between 50% and 75% of miscarriages labeled as chemical.

Statistically speaking, around one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. And it’s devastating when it happens.

However, women are often told not to reveal their pregnancies until the start of the second trimester, when the chances of a miscarriage start to decline. So when you experience one for yourself, you may not realize how many women you know have felt the same pain. That’s why Burton’s honesty is so important.

"It took a long time for Jeffrey and I to have this baby," she wrote. "The first time I got pregnant, it took a year and a half. I surprised him on Christmas with baby Seahawk booties. We cried. We celebrated. We picked out names. And we lost that baby. More losses followed, and as so many couples know, it was heartbreaking. It still is heartbreaking. "

Burton noted that whenever she read the news that a celebrity was expecting, she’d cry with jealously. And while she’s happy that her daughter — named George Virginia Morgan — was born happy and healthy on February 16th, that pain of past losses is still fresh in her mind.

"Fertility is a fickle thing," she added. "And for the other couples out there who have had dark days, we want to introduce our miracle baby to you and send you our love and support in finding yours."

George is the couple’s second child. Their son, Augustus, was born in 2010.

We are so grateful that Hilarie Burton shared her story. Fertility is such a sensitive topic, and she found the perfect way to remind her fans that it’s not always easy.

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