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Announcing our new website
The Miscarriage Association website has been launched. You can see how we've changed things at www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk.
'Secret Child'
Amy Chidley is a musician who has suffered multiple miscarriages. Her song SECRET CHILD is now available on CD to help others who have been through pregnancy loss
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Would you like to provide the patient viewpoint to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists? You have till 18 February to apply.
Miscarriage and heart disease
If you’ve heard news reports about the link between recurrent miscarriage and heart disease, you may wonder what they are all about.
More to Life
More to Life, part of Infertility Network UK, is holding an open day on Saturday 19 March for people who are involuntarily childless
Make a difference to NHS research
The National Institute for Health Research is looking for members of the public who can help make a difference to NHS research
Swine flu and pregnancy
If you are worried about the risk of catching swine flu when you are pregnant or trying to conceive, it can be difficult to make sense of all the information in the media. We recommend the following links for reliable information on prevention and treatment of the H1N1 swine flu virus:
At this special time of year, our Lights of Love trees are memorials to babies loved and lost.You can add a message to our virtual tree here.
You're also invited to send a message to add to the tree in the Miscarriage Association office. You can write and send the message by post or e-mail the text to us and we'll add it for you.
Please think about making a donation to the M.A. when you add your message.
NICE guidelines
The National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE) is creating guidelines on the management of pain and bleeding in early pregnancy and the Miscarriage Association is part of the guidelines group. Read more at http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG/Wave23/4/Scope (especially the document called "final scope") and let us know of any issues you want raised there.
The recent issue of “Midwives”, published by the Royal College of Midwives, has a sad account of a midwife sharing her own experience of miscarriage.
Research Update (Nov 2010)
We have reported before on the Liverpool-based Prednisolone trial, investigating the diagnosis and treatment of high levels of uterine NK cells. This is to let you know that with the end of the project grant, this pilot study has now stopped recruiting participants.
The research team is seeking additional funding to be able to extend the trial. If they are successful, the trial will continue without revealing the findings of the current study, as that will provide larger numbers on which to base the team's conclusions. If not, the results of the pilot study will be reported once the current participants’ pregnancies end – hopefully at full term.
Chana, the Jewsih fertility organisation, is holding a conference on 31 January in London. The title is "Facing the fertility challenge together", and you'll find more information at www.chana.org.uk. If you are interested in attending and would be willing to help staff a Miscarriage Association stand, please contact ruth@miscarriageassociation.org.uk
Many thanks to all of you who have done media interviews for us this week. You can read Michelle's story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11695714
1/11/10 Our sympathies to Lily Allen and her partner follwoing press reports of the loss of their baby, around six months into her pregnancy. You can read more about the facts and feelings of late miscarriage here
Christmas Cards now on sale It’s that time of year again and we have some great new designs for this season.
The easiest way to buy your cards is to use the M.A. online shop
but, if you prefer, you can view all the cards here and order by post using the order form.
Research news on conceiving after miscarriage
Research published in today's British Medical Journal has found that getting pregnant within six months of having a miscarriage actually carries a lower risk of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or other pregnancy complications than if you wait longer.
Anti-depressants and miscarriage
Research just published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal* reports a link between the use of anti-depressants and increased miscarriage risk. The effect differs depending on which anti-depressant (or combination of anti-depressants) is used.
It’s not advisable for pregnant women who are using anti-depressants simply to stop taking their medication, but if you’re concerned this may be relevant to you, you might want to consult your doctor. In the meantime, we look forward to more research in this area.
A new miscarriage book for young children
We're delighted to tell you that M.A. member Gillian Griffiths' book "Goodbye Baby: Cameron's Story" has just been published by Saint Andrew Press, priced at £6.99.
Gillian was inspired to write the book after she had a miscarriage and couldn't find anything she could read with her 3 year old son, to help him talk about the loss of his baby brother or sister. It's a lovely book, beautifully illustrated by Linsday MacLeod, who also has persoanl experience of miscarriage.
Miscarriage Association secures grant to improve care of miscarriage patients
The Department of Health has awarded The M.A. a grant of £111,000 over three years so that we can run a project to improve the support and care of women (and men) who are affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy. We'll be working with hospitals and primary care trusts in different regions, providing training for staff, leaflets for patients, training and support for local volunteers and better links between local volunteers and health services.
Competition for these grants is very tough. We're delighted that the Department of Health has recognised the importance of miscarriage care, and pleased too by this vote of confidence in our work.
Extracts from the latest Newsletter (Spring 2010)
* Raising Awareness
* Meeting space needed
* Water Baby
New group in Birmingham
We hope to set up a miscarriage support group at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, and we're looking for two or three people to help lead it. We'll provide training and support for anyone who is interested, so if you'd like to know more please contact
andrea@miscarriageassociation.org.uk
New Training dates
There are new dates for Volunteer Introductory Days and Training Days for Volunteers in March and September 2010. All will be held in London.
Alex Kane talks of his loss
Northern Ireland politician Alex Kane is a regular columnist for the Irish daily: The NewsLetter. In his column on Monday 12 October, he wrote about the birth of his daughter Lilah, the losses that went before, and the anxiety of miscarriage after recurrent miscarriage. It's a moving and powerful story
Personal reflections: We only ask for one child… by Catherine Midgley
The following article is written for all the women out there with no children. Not the ones who have one child and have then experienced miscarriages and not the women who have experienced miscarriages and then had a child or children. It is written for the women who are still trying for a first baby, the women who continue to have miscarriages, the women who, according to specialist doctors and rigorous testing, ‘have nothing wrong with them’.
Stitching memories together: the Patchwork Project
In October 2008, The Miscarriage Association launched a year-long project to create a large patchwork wall-hanging in memory of babies lost in pregnancy. Would you like to contribute a piece?
Indie Rock band "Oswald" share a song that band member Tom wrote after he and his wife experienced a miscarriage.
The song is free to listen to, but they suggest that anyone who wants to download it might make a donation to The M.A.. All money donated, less a small service charge from JustGiving.com, goes to The Miscarriage Association
Two former BBC producers are setting up a new website called problemshare.org
Two former BBC producers are setting up a new website called problemshare.org, to enable people to share their experiences on the Internet through the medium of film. They are keen to include the experience of miscarriage and have asked for our help.
Acknowledging pregnancy loss: The Miscarriage Association
View our film about the experience of miscarriage and the work of The M.A
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• Volunteering for The Miscarriage Association
We are always seeking volunteers to help us at The M.A.. Some volunteers provide support, some help to raise funds and/or awareness, some help manage our services. If you might like to help, find out more about becoming a volunteer.
• Can you speak any language/s other than English?
The Miscarriage Association is seeking volunteers who can help us provide support and information to those who speak little or no English. If you speak a language other than English, please click here to find out how you can help.
• Mailing Preference Service
The national Mailing Preference Service allows consumers to register their wish not to receive unsolicited direct mail. Now they have launched a new Baby Mailing Preference Service to enable parents who have suffered a miscarriage or bereavement of a baby in the first weeks of life to register their wish not to receive baby related mailings.
If you would like to register your wish not to receive baby related mailings, visit the website www.mpsonline.org.uk and click on the Baby MPS option, or contact the MPS for an application form, telephone 020 7291 3310, email babymps@dma.org.uk
• Three ways to help raise funds for The Miscarriage Association:
Online shopping
From the AA to Zurich Insurance, shop on-line through our webshop www.buy.at/miscarriageassociation.org.uk and the retailers give us a donation when you shop with them.
By using our shop you get:
- Frequent special offers and good prices
- Convenience - no queuing for the car parks
- Gift ideas - from our great selection of retailers
- FREE postage in many cases
Remember every purchase must be made through our webshop
A charitable search engine
The M.A. is registered as one of the charities that benefits from www.everyclick.com - a new search engine that donates half its revenues to charity. If you make this your preferred search engine, you can raise money for The M.A. just by searching the web and it won’t cost you a penny.
Just go to www.everyclick.com/uk/miscarriageassociation whenever you search the web, or make it even easier by making it your home page.
eBay for charity
It's easy to donate some or all of the proceeds from your eBay sale to The Miscarriage Association. Just list your items with eBay for Charity - the easiest way to sell verified charity items on eBay.
• INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
We would like to express our grateful thanks to ACTIV Computer Services who host our website and e-mail systems free of charge.