UK Covid-19 Inquiry Report highlights ‘devastating impact’ to those experiencing pregnancy loss during the pandemic

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has today (19 March) published its third report looking at what happened to the NHS and health services during the pandemic, including shedding light on how restrictions affected access to pregnancy care at the time. 

We welcome the Report’s recognition of the significant impact on those experiencing pregnancy loss during this time. It highlights how many women were required to attend maternity appointments without the support of partners or families, including at moments when they received heartbreaking news about pregnancy complications or the loss of their baby. 

The Miscarriage Association was one of 13 leading pregnancy, birth and early parenting charities who joined together to highlight the often heartbreaking impact of restrictions to access care throughout 2020 and beyond. Our collective evidence argued that the voices of those represented by the charities were marginalised in pandemic decision-making, with their needs and circumstances largely disregarded or deprioritised. 

Vicki Robinson, Miscarriage Association Chief Executive, said: 

“The impact of decisions made during the pandemic caused significant additional distress and upset at a time when people were already feeling isolated, fearful and vulnerable. 

“As well as a reduction in face-to-face care and reduced ability to have partners present when receiving devastating news, many also faced reduced options for management of miscarriage, suffering unnecessary physical and emotional pain.” 

Michaela shared her experiences of pregnancy loss during the pandemic, stating:  

“Even with a history of PTSD from previous losses, I had to be scanned alone, and be given the news on my own, having no one to hold me when my world fell apart.” 

Vicki Robinson adds:

“Whilst we can’t change the past, we hope that the lessons learned from this inquiry will help prevent similar pain and suffering in the future for those experiencing pregnancy loss.” 

Key concerns addressed by the charities, included: 

• Maternity and neonatal services were overlooked in healthcare planning during the pandemic, leaving pregnant women and new parents, especially those facing complications, birth trauma, or loss, without adequate support. 

• In these unique settings, partners should not have been categorised as visitors and subject to the strict rules they were. Partners, often fathers, are a fundamental part of this journey, including scans, during and after the birth and in the neonatal unit. 

• Specific groups, including those with multiple pregnancies, neonatal admissions, or from ethnic minority backgrounds, had unique needs that were not considered and addressed adequately.  

• In many cases policies exacerbated existing inequalities, particularly in Black and Asian women and those experiencing social and economic disadvantage 

• Hospitals and healthcare providers struggled with unclear, frequently changing and delayed national guidance. This placed significant pressure on services and caused emotional distress for families.  

• The traumatic experiences endured by pregnant women and new parents during this time continue to affect their mental health, with the long-term impact still uncertain.  

• The suspension of home birth support and the closure of midwife-led units took away women’s fundamental right to decide how and where they gave birth.  

• Post-natal services suffered immensely as health visitors and other health professionals were re-deployed in the early months of the pandemic to front line services, leaving families without anyone to support them.  

• Charities filled the gaps left and supported families and professionals, providing vital services. 

Thank you again to the almost 600 people who courageously shared their experiences with us to inform the inquiry and to try to ensure that lessons are learned for the future. 

The charities who presented evidence to the Inquiry included: 

Aching Arms, Baby Lifeline, Bliss, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, Group B Strep Support, ICP Support, The Lullaby Trust, The Miscarriage Association, National Childbirth Trust, Pelvic Partnership, Pregnancy Sickness Support, Tommy’s and Twins Trust.

Joint statement from the Pregnancy, Baby and Parent Organisations (PBPO) in response to the latest UK Covid‑19 Inquiry Report

The Pregnancy, Baby and Parent Organisations (PBPOs), representing thirteen organisations that support families during pregnancy, birth, neonatal care, and baby loss, welcomes the findings of the latest UK Covid‑19 Inquiry report. The report confirms what families, frontline professionals, and charities have been saying since the start of the pandemic: maternity and neonatal services were not prioritised as they needed to be.

The Inquiry’s acknowledgment that maternity must be seen as a high-priority area in healthcare planning is a crucial and overdue step. Throughout the pandemic, pregnant women, birthing people, and new parents faced disrupted care at some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. For many, this led to trauma, unsafe experiences, and, in some cases, devastating loss.

The PBPO fully supports the Inquiry’s conclusion that partners should never have been treated as “visitors.” Partners are an essential part of pregnancy, labour, birth, neonatal care, and early parenting. Excluding them caused unnecessary harm, increased trauma, and took away important support for both parents and babies.

We especially appreciate that the Inquiry recognises the deep impact on those who experienced pregnancy and baby loss during this period. Many faced this heartbreak without the emotional and clinical support they deserved. The inconsistent access to partners and support networks made grief even harder, leaving many to handle unimaginable moments alone.

During this time, many also hesitated to seek care because restrictions, mixed messages, and fear of healthcare settings made them unsure if services were accessible or safe. Instead of encouraging timely contact, which is crucial for spotting risks and complications, policies unintentionally created barriers that delayed critical care.

At the same time, remote appointments were often used instead of in-person assessments, even though they were not suitable for many parts of antenatal care. Important clinical checks, emotional support, and safeguarding discussions could not be effectively done over the phone or via video. For women with complications, first-time parents, those with limited access to technology, and families facing social or language barriers, remote care widened existing inequalities. As a result, many women missed out on timely, relationship-focused, hands-on care when they needed it most.

It is also important to remember that frontline maternity and neonatal staff worked under immense pressure, often facing unclear, rapidly changing, or delayed national guidance. We acknowledge and deeply appreciate the commitment, compassion, and resilience shown by midwives, neonatal staff, health visitors, and all those who provided essential care during challenging times.

Throughout this period, charities stepped in to fill the gaps, providing emotional support, information, and continuity of care when statutory services were unable to do so. PBPO organisations offered lifelines to families in crisis, but charities should never again be required to replace essential maternity and neonatal services.

We stand ready to work collaboratively to ensure that what families experienced during Covid 19 is fully understood, and never repeated.