The Term "Miscarriage:" Used and Abused

The definition of the word "miscarriage" is the spontaneous or unplanned expulsion of a fetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently, according to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Yet more and more, I am seeing this term stretched to refer to many things other than a lost pregnancy.

I receive daily Twilerts (email alerts to tweets that include a certain word) to posts on Twitter that refer to miscarriage. My purpose is to maintain awareness of the issues surrounding miscarriage; the emotions experienced by the mother, the need they fulfill by expressing themselves to the public, how the couple is treated by the medical personnel who treat them, and what kind of support they are seeking. 

What I have found, among the legitimate usage of the word, is its use by people for other events. I am not referring to the term "miscarriage of justice" by the way, although that term is often used wrongly as well. No. I have been surprised and somewhat disgusted to see "miscarriage" referring to:

• vomiting up a lunch
• a botched baking incident
• the smell of a fart (I kid you, not)
• the appearance of a Sunday roast (overly rare?)
• a fashion disaster
• the faked end of a fake pregnancy

• and more

I am neither naive, nor removed from, or even hostile to the use of the English vernacular.However, I find these uses of a term which, in its correct usage, refers to a disappointing, if not devastating, loss of a pregnancy, insensitive and in the case of the fart, quite offensive. They are imagining what it would look or smell (?) like. What they are ignoring is how a miscarriage feels, emotionally and physically, and what it represents; a dashed hope, a lost baby, an incomplete family. 

I doubt that these people (shall I call them Twits?) have ever experienced an actual miscarriage, or cared for someone who has. If they had, I don't think they would throw the word around so carelessly.

Comments

[Sarah]

here here! I also cringe at the use of the word 'abortion' in similar circumstances, like something that got messed up etc, botched, being 'an abortion'. It's really disgusting. Twits indeed.