Earlier specialised care could prevent 10,000 miscarriages a year, UK study finds | Miscarriage
Giving women access to specialist care after their first miscarriage could prevent around 10,000 pregnancy losses a year in the UK, a study has found.
Currently, women in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible for specialist care on the NHS for early baby loss after they have had at least three miscarriages.
The charity Tommy’s is calling for women to be able to take advantage of this right after they have had one miscarriage, saying it could reduce the risk of future miscarriages and improve mothers’ health outcomes.
The staged miscarriage model of care proposed by Tommy’s already exists in Scotland, and the charity is calling for it to be rolled out across the whole of the UK.
A study of 406 women by Tommy’s National Miscarriage Research Center and Birmingham Women’s Hospital found a 4% reduction in women’s risk of future miscarriage in the stepped care model compared with usual care; This would mean a reduction of 10,075 miscarriages per year across the UK.
The stepwise model involves nurse intervention after a miscarriage to provide advice on reducing risk factors such as low vitamin D levels and folic acid, alcohol consumption and caffeine intake.
The study found that women who received specialist care were 47% more likely to have a risk factor identified and receive advice to help prevent future miscarriages than women who received usual care.
Additionally, among women who had experienced two miscarriages and received specialized care, one in five were found to have thyroid dysfunction or anemia; Both conditions affect pregnancy outcomes.
Approximately one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage, most often in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Kath Abrahams, managing director of Tommy’s, said women were being “deprived of early access to services that could help prevent future loss and reduce the debilitating feelings of isolation and hopelessness that we know affect so many people who experience pregnancy loss.”
He said: “Our pilot study shows that providing support after a first miscarriage and scaling up care after subsequent losses is not only effective but achievable without a significant additional workload for NHS teams who are already working incredibly hard to provide good care. Simply put, it is the right thing to do. We will do our best to support this change across the UK so that more women and families are supported after every miscarriage.”
The report comes ahead of the long-awaited final findings of the government’s inquiry into maternity care in England. Interim findings revealed numerous failings by NHS hospitals that harmed and injured women and babies during birth, including often resorting to “covering up” errors, falsifying medical records and denying answers from bereaved parents.
Women’s Health Minister Gillian Merron said: “Pregnancy and baby loss can have a devastating impact on women and families, who often feel left out of the care and support they need. I welcome the findings of this important report and it will be carefully considered as part of our ongoing work to ensure women receive the high-quality, compassionate NHS care they deserve.”
