Where to find support after a miscarriage as MPs call for bereavement leave

Alexandra Thompson and Marie-Claire Dorking

Updated 15 January 2025 at 10:11 am·5-min read

Around one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage but the subject is still seen as taboo. (Getty Images)

Women who experience a miscarriage should get two weeks of paid leave from work so they can grieve the loss of their baby, an influential group of MPs has said today.

The government is being urged to introduce a new right of bereavement leave for women who lose their baby before 24 weeks.

Although a growing number of employers already offer the leave as a discretionary extra benefit, the women and equalities committee said it needs to become a universal right for women and their partners due to the extensive physical and emotional impacts of miscarriage.

Around one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage during the first three months, according to the Miscarriage Association. After three months, the risk drops significantly.

But despite miscarriage being so common, more still needs to be done to open up the conversation and ensure women and their partners get the right support to come to terms with their loss.

While campaigning for the extension to bereavement leave Myleene Klass spoke about the culture of silence surrounding miscarriage and the lack of data and understanding on why they occur.

But whether the miscarriage happens in the early stages of pregnancy or later on, the potential impact on the woman (and her partner's) mental health shouldn't be underestimated.

Celebrities opening up about miscarriage

The number of celebrities and those in the public eye talking about their personal experiences of miscarriage is helping raise awareness.

Rebecca Adlington recently spoke of the "excruciating" and "horrendous pain" of her miscarriages in 2022 and 2023, which were discovered in her first 12-week and 20-week scan respectively.

Victoria Derbyshire also recently described her experience of suffering a miscarriage on a plane, before continuing her work day despite it being “very upsetting”.

And boxer Tyson Fury also discussed the impact of his wife suffering a miscarriage last year, six months into her pregnancy.

Meghan Markle also opened up in 2020 about a miscarriage she experienced, while Jessie J, Charlotte Dawson, Jodi Albert have also spoken out about baby loss and the personal toll it has taken on them.

Here, experts discuss some of the reasons miscarriages happen, the potential emotional impact and the support available.

Close up of woman doctor touch patient show care and empathy telling bad results news, supportive female GP or physician cheer comfort upset clients at consultation in hospital, healthcare concept — Anyone who can conceive can miscarry – and often the cause is unknown. (Getty Images)

Why do miscarriages happen?

Miscarriage is when a baby (or foetus or embryo) dies in the uterus during pregnancy. According to the Miscarriage Association, that definition applies to pregnancies up to 23 weeks and 6 days, and any loss from 24 weeks onwards is called a stillbirth.

If the baby is born alive, even before 24 weeks, and lives even for a matter of minutes, that is considered a live birth and a neonatal death.

Many miscarriages happen before a person even knows they are pregnant, according to the NHS. Among those who know they are expecting, the figure goes down to one in eight pregnancies ending in miscarriage.

Losing three or more pregnancies in a row, defined as recurrent miscarriages, is far less common and affects around one in 100 people.

Lots of different factors are thought to contribute to a miscarriage, but in many cases the cause is not identified, which can make the loss even more difficult to process.

“The most asked question about miscarriage is, ‘Why did it happen?'" consultant gynaecologist, Dr Matthew Prior previously told Yahoo Life UK.

"The honest answer is we don’t know. Most miscarriages are likely due to a randomly occurring genetic problem which is not compatible with life."

More reassuringly, miscarriages tend to be a one-off event, with the majority of women going on to have a healthy pregnancy.

Risk factors for miscarriage

Dr Prior says certain medical conditions are associated with an increased risk of miscarriage including:

thyroid disease, diabetes and obesity
female age is another predictor of miscarriage, with the risk increasing for women in their forties
not smoking, drinking alcohol or using illicit drugs while pregnant does help to reduce the risk

Sad couple hugging. — Partners can experience post-traumatic stress disorder following a miscarriage. (Getty Images)

How you may feel after a miscarriage

Going through miscarriage can be distressing, with many women experiencing guilt, shock or even anger.

"During a miscarriage, women’s physical and emotional experiences vary greatly," Dr Prior told Yahoo.

"Symptoms usually include pain and bleeding. These can be distressing, but often the emotional aspect of miscarriage outweighs the physical symptoms."

But, it is not just the person carrying the baby who feels the impact.

Research by Imperial College London found that one in 12 (8%) partners experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) three months after their other half goes through a miscarriage, while one in 25 are still experiencing symptoms nine months on.

PTSD symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, insomnia and anger outbursts.