Shay Mitchell reflects on miscarriage: 'You feel broken'

July 18 (UPI) -- Shay Mitchell says she felt "broken as a woman" in the wake of her miscarriage.

The 32-year-old actress discussed the experience in "Keeping a Secret," the first episode of her YouTube series Almost Ready, after announcing she's expecting again with boyfriend Matte Babel.

"I chose to hold on until I announced because of the first time. It didn't go as I hoped for and it was extremely difficult," she said of her first pregnancy and miscarriage.

Mitchell was 14 weeks pregnant when she had a miscarriage in 2018. She started crying in the video as she described the shock of the loss.

"When it happened, I was just completely blindsided by it," the star said. "I still have those photos on my phone and I still have all the doctor visits, and it's weird because I haven't looked at them, obviously. But it's not like I forgot about that happening."

"So of course I'm super happy, but I still feel for the one that I lost," she added. "It's just tough because you feel broken as a woman and that's not a great feeling."

Mitchell went public about her miscarriage in an Instagram Stories post in January. She thanked her 25 million Instagram followers for supporting her through her ups and downs.

"We all have to deal with various struggles and challenges in life. And sometimes it's easier to only showcase the good times on social media," the actress wrote.

"Having so many people follow me on Instagram and read my posts is both incredibly humbling and hugely uplifting. The support and affection that so many of you show me lifts me up during even my darkest days, one of which happened last year after I miscarried and lost the child of my hopes and dreams," she said.

Mitchell announced her second pregnancy in an Instagram post in June. Her former Pretty Little Liars co-stars Lucy Hale, Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson and Janel Parrish were among those to congratulate her in the comments. Mitchell played Emily Fields on the Freeform series.