A groundbreaking approach to miscarriage care could potentially prevent more than 10,000 pregnancy losses annually and reduce the anguish experienced by women facing repeated miscarriages.
Currently, the NHS does not offer crucial tests and support to identify women’s health issues and pregnancy risks until after the third miscarriage. Researchers at Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research and Birmingham Women’s Hospital are advocating for the implementation of a new specialized care model nationwide, known as the ‘graded model,’ to provide faster assistance to women and families.
Under this model, women would receive one-on-one specialist consultations and hormone therapy options after their first miscarriage, instead of enduring multiple losses before intervention. Subsequent losses would trigger additional tests for conditions like anaemia, abnormal thyroid functions, and ‘sticky blood’ syndrome.
A trial conducted by Tommy’s revealed that one in five women who had undergone two miscarriages had treatable issues such as anaemia or thyroid problems that went undetected by the standard NHS system. Early targeted care could potentially prevent around 10,075 miscarriages annually, representing a 4% reduction from the estimated 250,000 miscarriages in the UK each year and potentially saving the NHS up to £40 million in the first year.
For individuals like 30-year-old Bethany Hulme-Teague from Bath, the current delayed treatment system exacerbates the emotional pain of pregnancy loss. Bethany expressed her dismay at being told she needed to endure a third miscarriage before receiving NHS assistance, emphasizing the importance of the Graded Model of Miscarriage Care for providing better support and improving mental health outcomes for women.
Kath Abrahams, the Chief Executive of Tommy’s, emphasized the urgency of early access to services to prevent future losses and alleviate feelings of isolation and hopelessness in affected women and families. She stressed that providing support after the first miscarriage, with escalated care following subsequent losses, is not only effective but also manageable for NHS teams.
The implementation of the graded system trial allowed 42-year-old Emily Hume from Birmingham to reach 28 weeks of pregnancy after two losses from IVF embryo transfers. Emily’s experience highlighted the essential role of early tests and treatment, which in her case revealed the need for a higher folic acid dosage, potentially saving her current pregnancy.
Nicki Robinson, Chief Executive of the Miscarriage Association, praised the research as a significant advancement in improving miscarriage care, emphasizing that women should not have to endure repeated losses before receiving necessary investigations and support.
Tommy’s is urging policymakers in Wales, England, and Northern Ireland to adopt the graded care model promptly, following Scotland’s lead in its implementation. Additionally, they are advocating for the establishment of an official record of loss within the NHS to enhance understanding of the scale of miscarriage in the UK.
The release of Tommy’s report coincides with a government inquiry into systemic failures in maternity wards across NHS trusts. The interim findings revealed a “toxic” culture spanning two decades that failed to learn from mistakes and neglected family concerns. Health minister Baroness Gillian Merron welcomed the report, emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring high-quality, compassionate care for women in the NHS.