Country singer Jana Kramer has shared some sad news with her fans on social media.
As People reports, she revealed that she has suffered a miscarriage. Kramer, who had not previously publicly announced the pregnancy, wrote an emotional Instagram post about her "silent struggle."
The post shows Kramer, who has a 22-month-old daughter named Jolie Rae, holding up an ultrasound photo. She also shared that this isn't the first time she has had a miscarriage, and noted the pressure women face to keep their pregnancies secret in the first trimester.
"I debated posting this for the exact reason why it’s a silent struggle," Kramer, who is reportedly reconciling with estranged husband Mike Caussin, wrote. "I don’t want I’m sorry or sympathy. I just don’t want to feel alone. And I know I’m not. This, unfortunately, isn’t my first loss.
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"When I first found out I was pregnant, I wanted to shout it from the rooftop, but I know for reasons like this we have to wait. So because we don’t tell many, we have to suffer silently... and suffering silently was my thing in the past, but it’s not now.
"For the women out there who have miscarried in the past and need support and a place to grieve their little one lost or to those in the thick of it like me who are currently grieving and in pain, let us all be there for each other. You don’t need to feel alone and maybe that’s me talking to myself but if you need a place to share, I’m here for you... and all of us are (and guys too. We sometimes silence your voice because you feel bad to express how it’s made you feel so let this be a safe place for you too)."
The Dancing with the Stars alum added that she was finding strength in friend Kristen Brust's A Little Bit Fancy blog, in which Brust chronicles her miscarriage.
Kramer's fans have left thousands of messages of support, many of which detail their own experiences with pregnancy and child loss.
Kramer's comments about her "silent struggle" echo what Dr. Jessica Zucker, a psychologist who launched the #IHadAMiscarriage movement, recently told Refinery29 about the value in opening up about pregnancies and miscarriages.
“It’s so embedded in our culture to not talk about grief and avoid it at all costs; it’s saying you should stay silent about your joy because if it becomes grief you shouldn’t share it,” Dr. Zucker said. "Share your news if you want to. Enjoy the joy; but know we need to feel supported whether it’s in the joy, or if you find out you’re having a miscarriage.”