BREAKING THE SILENCE AROUND MISCARRIAGE
Tommy’s is a national charity dedicated to reducing the rates of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth in the UK. Tommy's research centres and clinics across the country work to understand why pregnancy goes wrong so that these issues can be prevented, and its midwives support families at every stage of their journey with information and advice. Tommy’s wants to make pregnancy safer for all and ensure that excellent maternity care is available for every family, every baby, everywhere. A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 24 weeks. It’s hard to say exactly how often this happens, as miscarriages aren’t recorded nationally and may not always be reported by those who experience them. However, research suggests that 1 in 4 women
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miscarry at some point in their lifetime, with 1 in 100 women experiencing recurrent miscarriage (3 or more in a row). Despite being sadly common, miscarriages are not often discussed, and are still seen as taboo in many parts of society. It’s important to break down the stigma around miscarriage so that anyone affected knows how to access the practical care and emotional support they may need. Without that help, people can experience lifelong physical and mental health problems after losing a baby; for example, a study from Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research last year found that 1 in 6 mothers and 1 in 12 partners were left with long-term symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
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