Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard reveal tragic stillbirth of their 'beautiful baby girl' in emotional update

Jill Duggar has revealed she suffered a heartbreaking stillbirth.

The 32-year-old former Counting On star announced she and her husband, Derick Dillard, 35, tragically lost their fourth child, a baby girl named Isla Marie, in utero when she was four months pregnant.

Jill — who recently opened up about her strict fundamentalist Christian upbringing — and her husband penned an emotional message to share the news with their fans. 

'It is with heavy hearts that we announce the stillbirth of our beautiful baby girl, Isla Marie Dillard. Jill was 4 months pregnant (due in August) when we found out that our baby died in utero,' they wrote.

Duggar previously had a miscarriage in 2021 with son River Bliss. The couple, who tied the knot in 2014, have three sons together — Israel, 9, Samuel, 6, and Freddy, 21 months. 

 

Jill Duggar has revealed she suffered a heartbreaking stillbirth. The 32-year-old former Counting On star announced she and her husband, Derick Dillard , 35, tragically lost their fourth child, a baby girl named Isla Marie, in utero when she was four months pregnant

Duggar and Dillard added that they were particularly excited about the prospect of bringing a new member into their family.

'From the moment we found out we were pregnant, we couldn't wait to meet our baby. Isla was much loved from the start, and her 3 big brothers were so excited to introduce her to their world,' they wrote.

The pair concluded by thanking their longtime fans for their continued support as they dealt with the stillbirth of their child.

'We appreciate your prayers as we continue to grieve and heal from the loss of our little Isla Marie,' they wrote.

Duggar and Dillard initially met in 2011, and they went on to tie the knot in June of 2014.

The pair started a family with the birth of their son Israel in 2014, and they welcomed two more boys named Samuel and Frederick in 2017 and 2022, respectively. 

Last year Jill candidly spilled how she almost died bringing son Samuel into the world after the then-infant suffered a stroke during labor.

She revealed the harrowing tale of her second child's birth in her bombshell memoir, titled Counting the Cost.

She explained how she was rushed into surgery for an emergency C-section after an uterine rupture before finding out that the newborn had suffered a brain bleed as well.

Newborn Samuel, who had been 'unresponsive at birth,' was transferred to an NICU at a different hospital and Jill was not able to meet him for the first time until four days later.

The pair started a family with the birth of their son Israel, nine, in 2014, and they welcomed two more boys named Samuel, six, and Frederick, one, in 2017 and 2022, respectively

Last year Jill revealed the harrowing tale of her second son's birth in her memoir, Counting the Cost, revealing how they both almost died during his birth after he suffered a stroke

Samuel (pictured second from right) narrowly escaped permanent brain damage from his stroke - his older brother, Israel, is pictured at right

Doctors initially told Jill and Derick that it was unclear to what extent - if any - Samuel had suffered permanent brain damage until the 18-month mark.

However, three months after welcoming the youngster, Jill received a call from their neurologist, who informed her: 'What I've seen on the scans is a miracle. There's no lasting damage at all.'

The book also delves into the Arkansas native's hyper-strict upbringing in the cult-like Christian sect known as IBLP - short for Institute in Basic Life Principles.

The couple was planning on welcoming a child in 2021, although the reality television personality suffered a miscarriage.

Duggar opened up about her feelings regarding the tragic event in a post that was shared on her Instagram account not long after the birth of her youngest child, who would have been named River Bliss.

She wrote a lengthy message to let her fans know that she felt 'conflicted with feelings of loss and joy…I miss the moments we never had with River, yet I feel so so thankful for where we are this year holding our sweet little newborn.'

The author then wrote that she did not 'take for granted what a blessing this journey of motherhood is.' 

Duggar went on to express that she had nothing but sympathy for other mothers who had gone through miscarriages.

'My heart is also heavy for others who wish so badly to be mamas or have experienced loss and are still praying for their miracle,' she said.

Duggar previously had a miscarriage in 2021 with son River Bliss 

The miscarriage happened in October of 2021, just days after learning that she was pregnant with her third child

Duggar and Dillard initially met in 2011, and they went on to tie the knot in June of 2014

The reality television personality then wrote that she could not 'wait to see [River] in heaven.' 

Jill revealed that she suffered a devastating miscarriage in October of 2021, just days after learning that she was pregnant with her third child.

She and Derick shared their heartbreaking news in a video posted to their website, YouTube and social media accounts, detailing how their 'happiness' over their third pregnancy quickly 'turned to heartbreak' when they learned that they had lost their unborn child.

In the clip, the couple shared footage of the moment they learned they were expecting, as well as heartwarming video of them telling their young sons that they were going to be brothers to a baby sibling.

'We recently found out that we were expecting our third baby,' Jill and Derick wrote on their website, while sharing footage of the happy family celebrating the news with a pizza party in their Arkansas home.

'We were all thrilled! It was fun to see so much joy in the boys’ faces as we shared the news with them. They were full of questions and so excited as we talked about the pregnancy and how they would get to be involved along the way and after baby was born.

'However, a few days later we started miscarrying.'

Jill and Derick revealed that they were not far enough along in their pregnancy to have learned the gender of their unborn child - suggesting that the mother-of-two suffered a first-trimester miscarriage - however they chose to give their baby a name that they feel 'encompasses [their] significance': River Bliss Dillard.

Jill and her family have distanced themselves from the Duggars in recent years and have not spoken to her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar since her memoir was released in 2023

Jim, Michelle and their 19 kids, starred in the TLC series 19 and Counting from 2008 to 2015

The name holds special meaning for the Arkansas-based couple - who explained that it has several different inspirations behind it.

'One meaning for River is “tranquil”…and here in Arkansas, rivers are often a serene, beautiful escape in nature,' they explained.

'We also like how the River talked about in the Bible (Rev. 22:1-5) represents God’s life-giving presence. The river of life (Holy Spirit), “flows from the throne of God,” and with the tree of life is “for the healing of the nations.”

'Our baby doesn’t get to live here with us on earth, but is forever with the source of the river of life, in the presence of the Lord!'

Jill and her family have distanced themselves from the Duggars in recent years. 

She shared on the January 10 episode of 'The Unplanned Podcast' that they haven’t spoken to her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, since her memoir was released in September 2023. 

Jim, Michelle and their 19 kids, starred in the TLC series 19 and Counting from 2008 to 2015.