Full Breakdown
A Decade of Loss Ends with a Son’s First Birthday
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Ranim Haddad, a 36-year-old mother living in the Chicago suburbs, gave birth to her son Emmanuel in 2025 after enduring 20 miscarriages over an 11-year span. Her pregnancy history also includes an 18-week stillbirth and a premature birth at 29 weeks that survived only a few hours. Haddad now celebrates her child’s first birthday while reflecting on the emotional toll of repeated loss.
Background & Context
Haddad began trying to conceive at age 24, shortly after marriage. Her first miscarriage occurred at 25, marking the start of a prolonged period of pregnancy loss that left her questioning her ability to become a mother. The prevalence of miscarriage is high, with the Mayo Clinic estimating that 10 % to 20 % of known pregnancies end in loss, though the true figure is likely higher.
Data & Statistics
Official Statements & Responses
Dr. Susan Gerber, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said that Haddad’s case was evaluated exhaustively but no definitive cause for the early-term losses was identified. Gerber noted that a cervical stitch placed during Haddad’s last pregnancy may have prevented preterm birth, though it likely did not affect the earlier first-trimester losses.
Verbatim Quotes
- “One of the things that has always amazed me and impressed me about Ranim is her resilience and her willingness to continue to try in the face of loss after loss after loss, that for many – if not most – women would ultimately lead them to stop trying, because it's just so emotionally difficult to go through this as many times as she did,” — Dr. Susan Gerber, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist
- “We evaluated Ranim exhaustively to determine the cause of her losses, and were ultimately unable to find one,” — Dr. Susan Gerber, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist
- “I remember the feeling and I could never forget it. And I wish I (could) relive it.” — Ranim Haddad
These statements illustrate the medical perspective on Haddad’s unexplained losses and highlight her personal reflection on the birth of Emmanuel, which she describes as “it felt like a dream.” and “the best year ever.”