In Parliament today (11^th March 2025), Business Minister Justin Madders said the Government “fully accepts” the principle of bereavement leave for pregnancy loss and will work with MPs and peers to amend the Employment Rights Bill accordingly.

The move marks a significant step forward in our campaign for Leave for Every Loss and we are now committed to engaging with the Government on the details of this change and how it is implemented to the benefit of our communities.

Vicki Robinson, CEO of the Miscarriage Association, said: “We are extremely pleased to see, that for the first time ever, those experiencing pre-24-week pregnancy loss will be officially recognised in bereavement leave legislation. While we had been seeking paid leave, and the present commitment appears to be for unpaid leave, it nevertheless represents a significant step forward and provides long-overdue validation that this type of loss can be experienced as a bereavement like any other.

“This achievement reflects the tireless efforts of the Miscarriage Association, Sarah Owen MP, our partner organisations and charities, and individuals in calling for change through our Leave for Every Loss campaign.

“Whilst this is a very positive and welcome step, we are committed to engaging with the Government as the Bill passes through the next stages to ensure the new legislation fully benefits and supports our communities.”

Speaking in the House of Commons, Sarah Owen, said: “I am so pleased to hear the commitment from the minister today … although this is not paid as outlined in the [original] amendment, this is a significant step forward. It doesn’t just provide rights, but goes a long way into furthering how we talk about pregnancy loss in society as a whole.

“That miscarriage is no longer ignored. That is no longer stigmatised as a sickness. People have been moved to tears of joy, relief and raw emotion that their loss is now acknowledged and things will change. Later tonight, in the privacy of my home, I’ll probably be one of those, too.

“Special thank you to Vicki and her team at the Miscarriage Association, both professionally and personally. You are a voice for so many during their darkest times. Thank you.”

She closed her speech by stating:

“It is a giant leap forward in the recognition that miscarrying is a bereavement and not an illness, and workers will legally have the right to grieve.”

During the Report Stage of the Employment Rights Bill, Business Minister Madders, the Under Secretary of State for the Department of Business and Trade, paid tribute to Sarah Owen MP, the Women & Equalities Committee (WEC) and campaigners.

Mr Madders said the WEC committee – which received support from the Miscarriage Association including the convening of a lived experience panel – had “demonstrated a clear gap in support” for those experiencing pre-24-week pregnancy loss.

He added: “We have heard them”, and that the Government “fully accepts the principle of bereavement leave for pregnancy loss.” He said, “bereavement is not an illness” and pregnancy loss “needs its own special category of leave”, committing to further discussions with Sarah Owen MP and in the Lords during the passage of the Bill.

This development represents a meaningful acknowledgment of the grief associated with early pregnancy loss. The Miscarriage Association remains committed to advocating for Leave for Every Loss, including comprehensive support for all those affected.

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The latest stage of the inquiry, which started on Monday 9th September, focuses on the effects of the pandemic on healthcare, including the impact on pregnancy, maternity and neonatal care.

At the opening hearing, Jacqueline Carey KC, Counsel to the Inquiry, read powerful testimony submitted by the Miscarriage Association and our service users.

She told the inquiry that having to attend appointments and being given unexpected and/or upsetting news alone was one of the most distressing aspects of the pandemic.

She referred to a survey carried out by the MA and read quotations from two of our respondents.

The first said: “It was heartbreaking to lose my baby, the only child I conceived in a three-year ongoing infertility journey. Confused, masked, distraught and without my partner to hold my hand and grieve with me.”

The second said: “It was one thing being completely alone in hospital and having my miscarriage confirmed and having to decide how to manage things but knowing that the Government were having parties at the same time is disgusting and fills me with so much anger. I remember meeting my husband at the entrance to the hospital to decide on how to manage things. I’ll never forget the group of men standing there waiting for their partners to come out from appointments and scans, it was so inhumane and a memory I’ll never forget.”

Later in the hearing, Barrister Adam Wagner gave an opening statement on behalf of the 13 Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting Organisations (PBPOs) – of which the MA is one – and told the inquiry that ‘the reactive healthcare response to Covid-19 failed the women, pregnant people, and babies who were supposed to be at the heart of that care.’

The MA and its partner charities, who are represented by Slater and Gordon solicitors, have been granted core participant status in the inquiry, with more evidence due to be heard in the coming weeks.

Thank you 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.

Module 3 (Healthcare) of the Covid Inquiry runs through the autumn. The daily live stream can be found here: https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/#broadcastStatus

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Until now, only losses from 24 weeks onwards have been formally recognised. We, along with other pregnancy and baby loss charities like Sands, Tommy’s and the Mariposa Trust, have been calling for some time for those with earlier losses to be able to have their babies acknowledged, too.

The new certificates are entirely optional and while not legal documents, we know they will provide comfort to many people who may have felt their loss was not considered as important as others.

Our only regret is that at present, the certificates are only available to those whose losses happened since September 1^st 2018. However, the Department of Health and Social Care has promised that it will extend the scheme to earlier losses as soon as possible – and we’ll be pressing hard to make sure that happens.

Miscarriage Association National Director Ruth Bender Atik said: “For many, if not most people, even the earliest of losses can be deeply distressing, both emotionally and physically. It means the loss not only of this pregnancy but also of the hopes, plans and dreams that they had for this new life. And having no formal acknowledgement or marker of their loss can compound their grief.

“The new certification scheme will make a genuinely positive difference to many who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss, offering formal recognition of the tiniest of lives.

“We very much look forward to the scheme being extended to losses prior to September 2018 as soon as possible.”

The English certificate schemes follows the earlier roll-out of a memorial book and certificates in Scotland, launched last October. We understand the Welsh and Northern Irish governments are looking at introducing similar schemes, too.

If you would like to receive a certificate of your loss in England, click here or for losses in Scotland, click here. You can read more about other ways you may wish to mark your loss here.

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With close to 400 delegates, speakers and contributors, it was a packed and powerful event.  There were lectures, posters, discussions and workshops on research and on clinical care, on treatment and on guidelines.  Some were very scientific, some very practical (you can see the full programme here), all creating interest, discussion and debate.

But what shone through the whole event – including the breaks – was a clear passion for getting it right for people affected by pre-24 week pregnancy loss: a passion for increasing knowledge, skills and processes, and an absolute commitment to thoughtful and compassionate care too.

Some snippets for you:

Delivering unexpected or difficult news

Dr Judith Johnson, clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Leeds, talked about how to deliver unexpected news in early pregnancy care – something that we know is hugely important to someone having a scan or other tests.  Yet other than Judith’s guidelines and pilot training, sonographers have no standard training on this.*  She hopes to change this and we’re delighted to be involved with her work.

*  You can hear Judith talking about this on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour on 21 November: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001sm80, 31.26 minutes into the programme.

Recurrent miscarriage

Dr Soterios Saravelos, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Imperial College MHS Trust London, talked through the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ new clinical guidelines on recurrent miscarriage and what it means for people with three or more losses.  We’ve talked about this here too.

Difficult conversations

Ruth, the M.A.’s Director, and Maeve Tuomey, Senior Sister for Early Pregnancy and Emergency Gynaecology at Imperial College NHS Trust led this breakfast workshop for staff.  We ran a similar workshop last year, focusing on conversations with patients about potentially very upsetting things: the results of a scan or blood test, options for managing a missed miscarriage, or information about what happens to their pregnancy or baby’s remains after a loss.

This year, 45 delegates joined us at 7.30 a.m., sustained by coffee and pastries as we focused on their own needs for support in having difficult, sad and sometimes heartbreaking conversations with patient after patient.  They talked about feeling bad for causing upset or increasing anxiety or distress; about worrying about saying the wrong thing; and about how caring for people with pregnancy loss can trigger painful memories of their own loss/es.  It was truly moving, and we hope it helps both them and the patients they care for.

Promoting the Miscarriage Association

In between the sessions, M.A. helpline support workers Helen and Juanita staffed our stand, generally packed with people coming to look at our leaflets and just to chat – happily, many of them saying “We always use your leaflets.” 

Other comments they remember:

• Why would we need to re-invent the wheel when your leaflets are already so good.

• Thank you for all the good work that you do.

• Thank you for the support you give.

• It’s nice for the patients to have something to take away, because when they’re upset, they can’t always take things in.

• It’s nice that you have something for men too because they’re not always thought of.

All in all, another truly positive conference run by and for health professionals who really do care for and about people experiencing pregnancy loss.

The post Caring for patients with pregnancy loss appeared first on The Miscarriage Association.

What is new?

There is

• a change in the definition of recurrent miscarriage
• more consideration of the occasions where someone might be offered tests after two rather than three miscarriages and
• updated information about causes, tests and treatments.

We highlight below what is new and what it might mean for you.

Recurrent miscarriage definition: three miscarriages, but not necessarily in a row

Recurrent miscarriage used to be defined as three or more miscarriages in a row. It is still three or more miscarriages, but no longer necessarily one after another. So if you have a healthy pregnancy or pregnancies in between your three miscarriages, that should now be considered to be recurrent miscarriage.

Tests

If you have had three early miscarriages, you should be offered some tests to see if there is an underlying reason or reasons for your losses. However, you might be offered tests after two early miscarriages, for example:

• if you are in your late 30s or older, or
• if it has taken you a long time to conceive, whether or not you needed fertility treatment, or
• if your doctor thinks your miscarriages might have an underlying cause.

You should also be offered some tests after one second trimester loss, that is if your baby died after the first three months of pregnancy. You’ll find information about second trimester loss (late miscarriage) here and more detail about tests after second trimester loss here.

How the new guidance might affect your care

While the RCOG guidance is widely respected and followed across the UK, it is not actually compulsory for hospitals or clinicians to follow its recommendations and there may be differences between different hospitals.

• Some hospitals or doctors may offer more than is recommended, such as testing after two early miscarriages.
• Some may offer less, continuing to offer tests only after three consecutive miscarriages (three in a row).
• For some, perhaps many, it will take time to change practice and processes, especially if offering tests to more people requires more staff and clinic time and resources.

Whatever your circumstances, knowing what is now recommended – and what is not – might help you feel more confident in asking questions about your care.

We provide more information about recurrent miscarriage and about the affect it can have on people here.

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To succeed in this role, you’ll need good all-round office skills, and CRM system or database experience is essential. You’ll be well-versed in Microsoft Office packages, in particular with Excel, and have excellent communication skills, both verbally and written.

In return, we’ll offer a positive and friendly working environment, competitive salary and good benefits, and the flexibility to work around non-work commitments.

Interested? Read more here.

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Representing the charities, barrister Adam Wagner yesterday (Feb 28th 2023) told the inquiry about the devastating impact of the pandemic on pregnancy loss care.

He highlighted the distress felt by those forced to attend hospital appointments alone, without the support of a loved one – especially when they were often given heart-breaking news about the loss of their baby.

He also told how many of those going through loss had their treatment options severely limited, often being told to simply go home and wait for a miscarriage to happen.

Miscarriage Association National Director Ruth Bender Atik said: “Losing a baby at any gestation can be devastating. Receiving this news alone, without the support of a partner, friend or family member, and also potentially having severely limited options for medical care, only deepened the distress they were already feeling.

“It is crucial that lessons are learned so that the health service is better prepared for any future pandemic or critical event.”

As well as the impact on those experiencing pregnancy loss, the Inquiry heard that choice around place of birth was also restricted, with services being suspended during intrapartum care, and postnatal support was significantly reduced. Sick babies in neonatal care were separated from their parents, and some families experienced the devastation of being unable to be with their babies until they were receiving end-of-life care.

The Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting Organisations are core participants in Module 3 of the Inquiry, being chaired by Baroness Heather Carol Hallett. This module looks at consequences for healthcare of the response to the pandemic.  There will be a further preliminary hearing in 2023 and the substantive hearings will take place at some point in 2024.

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They have also drafted a patient information leaflet to go with it and they really want comments on it from people in the UK who have been affected by miscarriage. They particularly want to know if people find it clear and understandable.

You can find the draft leaflet and information on how to comment here: https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-all-patient-information-leaflets/patient-information-for-consultation/.

Please note that the closing date for comments is Friday 17 February.

We do hope some of you will find the time to give your views.

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The care, information and support that women and their partners receive during this time is crucial in helping them through these most difficult of times, so we’re pleased to be able to launch a new set of resources for people who experience second trimester loss.

Based on 846 responses to our online survey, our web pages cover the following topics:

• what second trimester miscarriage is and the different ways in which people describe it
• what we know about the causes of second trimester loss
• signs, symptoms and finding out that something is wrong
• the physical process, labour and birth

All the staff were kind and caring. In a strange way, this made the experience of delivering my baby calm and peaceful and I’ll be forever grateful to those who cared for us.

• tests and investigations that may be offered
• after the loss: what happens to your baby
• making memories, marking your loss
• the physical impact
• the emotional impact
• considering another pregnancy
• sources of help and support.

We have created a new leaflet on second trimester loss and added some new stories where people share their experiences and feelings. Michaela talks about the loneliness she felt after the loss of her son, Zachary:

I found myself surrounded by sympathy cards and flowers but I guess I had never felt so alone.

And Zainab shares the story of losing her daughter Noa and how talking is helping her to heal.

Our sincere thanks to all those who responded to our survey and shared their experiences, to our expert group Elizabeth, Fay, Rachel and Zainab,  and to Professor Lucy Smith for all her support. Together you are helping us to make sure that no-one has to go through this experience alone.

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Our annual event challenges people to clock up 250,000 steps in the first month of the year – that’s the same as the number of pregnancies that are very sadly set to end in miscarriage during 2023.

Can you help us raise awareness and funds to help us support people through this often very deeply upsetting, frightening, and isolating experience?

For many, however early a pregnancy is lost, it represents the end of hopes, dreams and a planned future together as a family. The M.A. exists to try to ensure that no one has to go through this alone.

To take part in the Step Up challenge, all you have to do is commit to taking 250,000 steps throughout the month of January and ask your friends, family or colleagues to sponsor you. It’s also a great way to stick to those New Year resolutions to get fitter and healthier.  

New for this year, we are offering active participants a free bespoke beanie hat to wear to help boost fundraising and awareness during your challenge. You’ll receive an email from us explaining how to get yours once your page has received more than £10 in donations (the minimum amount to cover our costs).

If you’d like to join in, you can set up your fundraising page here: (click on the orange “Start Fundraising” button).

And you can read more about the challenge here. 

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