A leaflet. A shrug. A suggestion to ‘just try again’. These are some of the things families have told us they’ve been given after a miscarriage rather than any meaningful care or support.
These kinds of experiences are sadly echoed in Mumsnet’s own report into medical misogyny, which also highlights the lasting impact inadequate, insensitive or simply non-existent care after miscarriage can have on people’s mental and physical health.
Losing a baby at any stage of pregnancy is devastating. But right now, most women have to go through the heartbreak of 3 miscarriages before the NHS provides support, tests and treatment.
This threshold means that, instead of focusing on their grief and recovery, too many women are burdened with seeking out much-needed information or support themselves. Or dealing with the emotional complexity of getting pregnant again knowing it may end in loss.
There’s no scientific logic behind this 3-miscarriage wait. It fails to recognise the emotional and physical trauma involved in pregnancy loss or the grief families feel at the death of their baby. It also misses opportunities to improve their situation, possibly even preventing further losses, at an earlier stage.
That’s what drove us to develop Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care. Tommy’s, where I work, is the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby charity. We exist to stop the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss and make pregnancy and birth safe – for everyone. One of the ways we do this is by turning research breakthroughs into meaningful improvements in maternity care, support and information so we can make an impact on a nationwide level.
Following our Miscarriage Matters campaign in 2021, which highlighted the urgent need for change, leading experts at Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research developed a new framework for miscarriage care. This ‘graded model’ approach offers support after every miscarriage, even after the first, and includes signposting to mental health support to recognise the emotional impact of losing a baby.
We tested Tommy's Graded Model of Miscarriage Care in a pilot study at Birmingham Women's Hospital. This kind of study helps us understand how it could work in practice and how it could be rolled out nationwide.
Through this, we found that 99% of families who were involved in the study were satisfied with the care they received. We had positive feedback about recognising miscarriage as a bereavement, and the care and respect shown around this. We also discovered that providing support at an earlier stage didn’t significantly impact the workload of healthcare professionals – who we know are already working incredibly hard – and many welcomed being able to offer greater support to families at a devastating time.
We’ve seen the value of offering women investigative tests at an earlier stage, with possible risk factors for miscarriage and treatable medical conditions spotted sooner. Crucially, we believe that 10,075 miscarriages could potentially be prevented every year if our care model were introduced across the UK – sparing thousands of families the heartbreak of loss.
As Tommy’s Ambassador Myleene Klass MBE said, we’ve done everything we can. Our research report has been shared with the Department of Health and Social Care and, thanks to our supporters, every MP in England has been contacted to back Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care. There might be a new Secretary of State, James Murray, in post following Wes Streeting’s departure, but the government must not lose momentum in making this vital change.
The time for waiting is over. Scotland has already shown leadership by adopting this approach, working in partnership with Tommy’s when developing its Patient Charter for Miscarriage Care. Add your voice to ours in calling for the Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care to be available across the UK, and to make sure no family is left without support after miscarriage.