Care scheme could prevent thousands of miscarriages a year
⚠️ Eldri en 6 mánuðir

Care scheme could prevent thousands of miscarriages a year

Care scheme could prevent thousands of miscarriages a year

After going through two devastating miscarriages, Lisa Varey could not believe what she was thinking.

She knew she would have to miscarry again before she could get the help she needed. Only when you have had three miscarriages do you normally qualify for specialist NHS help in England. One in five pregnancies end in miscarriage, most before 14 weeks.

Lisa, 34, told her husband: "We're not waiting another year. We need to be pregnant and miscarry as soon as we possibly can."

She says they looked at each other, and said: "I can't believe I'm actually saying this out loud."

After her second miscarriage, Lisa was invited on to a pilot project at Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital, which experts believe will prevent thousands of miscarriages every year by offering earlier checks and advice.

Tests showed she would benefit from taking the hormone progesterone to help maintain her pregnancy and a regular aspirin tablet to increase the chances of a healthy birth.

Lisa is now pregnant and in the last weeks of her second trimester. She breaks down in tears as she speaks about how much difference the project's help has made.

"There's so much support for pregnant women, but it didn't always feel like there was any support for women who were no longer pregnant. We're having to go through that journey of just feeling very sad."

Emily, 42, from Birmingham, suffered two miscarriages in one year and it left her feeling like her body had "failed" her.

She had struggled to get pregnant and was undergoing rounds of IVF - so when she got a positive test, she says she felt "this is it". Then a scan showed the baby was not growing as it should, which she says was devastating.

She went on to have a second miscarriage, before she was invited to join the Birmingham project.

She was put on aspirin and a higher dose of folic acid. She says being offered early tests gave her possible reasons for the miscarriage, which took away "the guilt and shame that you feel".

"Knowing there were things that could make a difference. That gives you some hope to hang on to," Emily says.

Tommy's, the pregnancy charity, says NHS care offered to women who have suffered three miscarriages can be "inconsistent and inadequate". Before then, women are often told to simply go home and to try again.

Both Lisa and Emily were part of the Birmingham study, which compared two groups of 203 women who had previously suffered miscarriages. One group was treated under standard NHS care, while the other was treated with a different model of care.

The new model started after just one miscarriage, and gave the women progressively more care after each baby loss. Researchers say it found a small reduction in the miscarriage rate among its test group. Where women did go on to have more miscarriages, researchers say they received better care and support.

One in five women in the study had treatable health issues, such as abnormal thyroid function and anaemia, which could affect their chances of a healthy birth.

And while no formal data is collected on the number of miscarriages that happen every year - with many going unreported - they estimate the pilot project could prevent around 10,000 miscarriages a year, if its findings were implemented across the NHS.

As part of the project, women who had suffered one miscarriage were given a one-to-one consultation with a specialist nurse to discuss lifestyle changes - including reducing alcohol consumption and giving up smoking - and using the hormone progesterone, which can help prevent miscarriage.

After a second miscarriage, women were tested for anaemia and abnormal thyroid function, which can affect pregnancy outcomes. They were also offered early scans to reassure them the pregnancy was advancing normally.

Following a third miscarriage, the pathway joins up with what the NHS currently offers - including a referral to a recurrent miscarriage clinic, further blood tests and a pelvic ultrasound.

Professor Arri Coomarasamy, head of miscarriage research at Tommy's, says the three miscarriage wait is an unacceptable anomaly.

"We don't do that with any other medical condition. If somebody has a heart attack, we don't say have your third heart attack and then we will see if there is anything we can do," he says.

He says the findings of the study, if rolled out across the NHS, could also save the NHS money. The pilot suggests the extra costs of staff and training are outweighed by the money saved having fewer women miscarry.

Sally, who is 33, has had two miscarriages and feels let down by the care she was given. She says she's not ready to try for another baby because of her experience.

Living in Gloucester, she doesn't have access to the pilot project but says if she did, she might change her mind.

"Putting these systems in place show women that they are thought about, that one miscarriage is enough to be thought about and to be supported," she says.

In the Women's Health Strategy announcement last week, the government said it was considering "wider adoption" across the NHS in England.

Baroness Merron, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care said: "This will be carefully considered as part of our ongoing work to make sure women get the high-quality, compassionate NHS care they deserve."

NHS Scotland is already making improvements in miscarriage care, including not waiting until a third miscarriage and providing separate rooms in maternity units for women who are going through pregnancy loss.

Northern Ireland and Wales currently follow the same guidelines as England. Researchers on the Birmingham team say they are "hopeful" their model will bring about change.

Kath Abrahams, chief executive of Tommy's, says the pilot would give women an understanding of the care they would be offered.

"Knowing what's going to happen next can be incredibly comforting in a moment when you're in crisis," she says.

If you have been affected by any of these issues, go to BBC Action Line for information and support.

Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. Sign up here.

Getty Images A photo with the focus on the unrecognizable pregnant woman in the foreground as the unrecognizable doctor shows her an ultrasound on a digital tablet in the background
A young couple standing on a beach grin at the camera. The young woman, on the left, wears glasses and a bright pink jumper. On the right, the man wears a grey beanie.
A selfie of a young woman with long red hair. She is wearing a brown silk dress with white polka dots and has tattoos on both arms.
A thin, grey banner promoting the News Daily newsletter. On the right, there is a graphic of an orange sphere with two concentric crescent shapes around it in a red-orange gradient, like a sound wave. The banner reads: "The latest news in your inbox first thing.”
#care #could #prevent #scheme #thousands


Upprunaleg slóð:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62r8lzgnk2o

📰 Aðrar fréttir

Syrians grow frustrated as soaring living costs threaten recovery
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 1
Syrians grow frustrated as soaring living costs threaten recovery
Fuel price rises are driving discontent, testing support for Ahmed al-Sharaa's government.
Nína Richter skrifar: Enginn fátækur í faginu
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 1
Nína Richter skrifar: Enginn fátækur í faginu
Mynd Ég er komin til Búdapest í annað sinn.
Námsmenn tæma skóla í dag og lögregla býst við óeirðum
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 2
Námsmenn tæma skóla í dag og lögregla býst við óeirðum
Ítalskir námsmenn ætla að safnast saman í nokkrum borgum í dag og krefjast aukins fjármagns til skólamála, sem og stuðnings við húsnæðismál. Löggæsluy...
Milljörðum sennilega stolið í tölvuárás á rafmyntakauphöll
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 1
Milljörðum sennilega stolið í tölvuárás á rafmyntakauphöll
Binance, stærsta rafmyntakauphöll heims, varð fyrir umfangsmikilli tölvuárás og hefur kauphöllin fryst fjármagn upp á 2,5 milljarða bandaríkjadala til...
Einn látinn í eldflaugaárás í Kíev
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 3
Einn látinn í eldflaugaárás í Kíev
Einn er látinn eftir að Rússar gerðu eldflaugaárás í Kíev, höfuðborg Úkraínu. Vitali Klitschko borgarstjóri greindi frá þessu á samfélagsmiðlinum Tele...
Einn látinn í eldflaugaárás í Kyiv
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 2
Einn látinn í eldflaugaárás í Kyiv
Einn er látinn eftir að Rússar gerðu eldflaugaárás í Kyiv, höfuðborg Úkraínu. Vitali Klitschko borgarstjóri greindi frá þessu á samfélagsmiðlinum Tele...
Hafna áfrýjunarbeiðni sveppamorðingjans og þyngja dóminn
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 2
Hafna áfrýjunarbeiðni sveppamorðingjans og þyngja dóminn
Erin Patterson, áströlsk kona sem var dæmd í lífstíðarfangelsi á síðasta ári fyrir þrefalt morð, tapaði áfrýjun á máli sínu í dag.Patterson komst í he...
Democrats have an identity crisis - it won't be an easy fix
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 2
Democrats have an identity crisis - it won't be an easy fix
Whatever the result of the midterm elections, the party is facing tough questions over what they stand for and who should represent them.
Talningu lokið og strembin stjórnarmyndun fram undan
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 4
Talningu lokið og strembin stjórnarmyndun fram undan
Öll atkvæði hafa verið talin í Ísrael. Likud, flokkur Benjamíns Netanjahú forsætisráðherra, fékk 27 þingsæti og stjórnarblokk hans er með alls 53 sæti...
Erin Patterson: Australian mushroom murderer loses appeal to overturn convictions
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 4
Erin Patterson: Australian mushroom murderer loses appeal to overturn convictions
Erin Patterson argued her trial was unfair due to seven grounds but three appeal judges dismissed them all.
Biggest fibre boost could be scraps in your bin, experts say
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 4
Biggest fibre boost could be scraps in your bin, experts say
Chomping on vegtable skins, seeds and stalks could give us vital fibre, say food scientists.
Crypto giant Binance freezes $2.5bn of assets over suspected hack
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 6
Crypto giant Binance freezes $2.5bn of assets over suspected hack
The firm said transactions are suspended while it conducts security checks and will "cover all losses".
Crypto worth billions frozen after suspected Binance hack
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 4
Crypto worth billions frozen after suspected Binance hack
The firm said transactions are suspended while it conducts security checks and will "cover all losses".
Binance says crypto worth $6.3bn impacted in suspected hack
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 2
Binance says crypto worth $6.3bn impacted in suspected hack
The firm said roughly $3bn in assets have been frozen and that it will 'cover all losses'.
Crypto giant Binance hit by 'largest hack in history'
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 1
Crypto giant Binance hit by 'largest hack in history'
The world's biggest crypto exchange said $6.3bn of digital assets had been impacted by the incident.
Crypto giant Binance hit by hack suspected to be largest in history
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 1
Crypto giant Binance hit by hack suspected to be largest in history
Two analytics firms have attributed the incident to a North Korean hacking unit called TraderTraitor.
Hlutabréf móðurfélags Google lækka um 12%
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 3
Hlutabréf móðurfélags Google lækka um 12%
Alphabet, móðurfélag Google, tapaði um hálfri billjón bandaríkjadala í markaðsvirði sínu á hlutabréfamarkaði í vikunni. Það er um 61 billjón íslenskra...
Serbia: Student-backed election winners demand sweeping resignations
📅 30.10.2026 👁️ 6
Serbia: Student-backed election winners demand sweeping resignations
Days after ousting Aleksandar Vučić's party from power, Student List MPs call for top figures to stand down.
Stað­festa tveggja ára dóm fyrir nauðgun eftir þorra­blót - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 2
Stað­festa tveggja ára dóm fyrir nauðgun eftir þorra­blót - Vísir
Maðurinn var fyrst sakfelldur í Héraðsdómi Austurlands í desember 2025, þar sem hann var ákærður fyrir nauðgun með því að hafa í gestaherbergi á heimi...
The Traitors: Bombshell confession as faithfuls finally turn the screw
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
The Traitors: Bombshell confession as faithfuls finally turn the screw
Could the faithfuls finally come good in Thursday's penultimate episode?
Hyrox athlete who soiled herself in race admits putting others at risk but says backlash was traumatic
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Hyrox athlete who soiled herself in race admits putting others at risk but says backlash was traumatic
In her first interview since the incident, Joanna Wietrzyk told the BBC she takes responsibility for it but did not deserve such a severe backlash.
Sir Patrick Stewart er látinn
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Sir Patrick Stewart er látinn
Enski leikarinn Sir Patrick Stewart er látinn, 86 ára að aldri. Stewart lést á heimili sínu í Los Angeles í Bandaríkjunum á miðvikudag.„Í stað blóma e...
Skjal undirritað af Davíð Oddssyni bjargaði Didda í Sovétríkjunum: „Ég ákvað að við værum bara að beita leynivopni og drógum upp þetta plagg“
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 2
Skjal undirritað af Davíð Oddssyni bjargaði Didda í Sovétríkjunum: „Ég ákvað að við værum bara að beita leynivopni og drógum upp þetta plagg“
Hestur sprakk framan á hljómsveitarbíl, biðröð myndaðist fyrir utan Gauk á Stöng á sunnudagskvöldum, bréf frá borgarstjóra bjargaði manni í Sovétríkju...
Sérstaklega hættuleg líkamsárás: Kastaði glerglasi í höfuð brotaþola á Veður
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 2
Sérstaklega hættuleg líkamsárás: Kastaði glerglasi í höfuð brotaþola á Veður
Karlmaður hefur verið ákærður fyrir sérstaklega hættulega líkamsárás, með því að hafa, að kvöldi föstudagsins 12. desember 2024, á vínveitingastaðnum ...
Stjórn Velferðar segir ríkið hafa brugðist skyldu sinni í að tryggja viðeigandi búsetuúrræði
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 2
Stjórn Velferðar segir ríkið hafa brugðist skyldu sinni í að tryggja viðeigandi búsetuúrræði
Hildigunnur Árnadóttir varaformaður Velferðar, samtaka stjórnenda í velferðarþjónustu sveitarfélaga á Íslandi, segir ríkið hafa brugðist skyldu sinni ...
Vill þjóðarátak til að útrýma fátækt barna á Íslandi
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 5
Vill þjóðarátak til að útrýma fátækt barna á Íslandi
Barnamálaráðherra vill ráðast í þjóðarátak gegn fátækt barna á Íslandi og segist finna fyrir mikilli samstöðu um markmiðið. Hún vill að tveir til þrír...
Úti­lokar ekki verk­fall eftir út­spil sem kom eins og þruma úr heið­skíru lofti - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 5
Úti­lokar ekki verk­fall eftir út­spil sem kom eins og þruma úr heið­skíru lofti - Vísir
Að óbreyttu yrði kjarasamningum þá sagt upp 1. janúar 2027 og fengi forsendunefnd svo tvo mánuði til að leysa úr ágreiningsmálum. Takist það ekki yrðu...
Sir Patrick Stewart: The life of an iconic actor
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 5
Sir Patrick Stewart: The life of an iconic actor
In a career that spanned seven decades, Sir Patrick won multiple Emmys and Golden Globes, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a knighthood from Q...
Þristurinn gefinn Flugsafni Ís­lands - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 5
Þristurinn gefinn Flugsafni Ís­lands - Vísir
Samkvæmt yfirlýsingunni er stefnt að því að yfirfærslu Þristsins til safnsins verði lokið fyrir lok þessa árs. Aðilar lýsa sig sammála um mikilvægi þe...
Spain train crash: Young athlete and former minister among victims
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Spain train crash: Young athlete and former minister among victims
As some of the victims' names are released publicly, an outpouring of grief and anger is sweeping across Spain.
Value of Google parent Alphabet plunges by $500bn as AI fears rattle Wall Street
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 2
Value of Google parent Alphabet plunges by $500bn as AI fears rattle Wall Street
Google spooked investors so badly that its stock hit a six-month low, after it revealed its AI search summaries were affecting ad revenue.
Sagan sýni að flokki sitjandi forseta sé refsað í þingkosningum
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Sagan sýni að flokki sitjandi forseta sé refsað í þingkosningum
Doktor í félagstölfræði segir að sé litið til sögunnar sé flokki sitjandi forseta oftar en ekki refsað í þingkosningum en Bandaríkjamenn ganga að kjör...
Patrick Stewart er látinn
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Patrick Stewart er látinn
Enski leikarinn Patrick Stewart er látinn, 86 ára að aldri. Stewart lést á heimili sínu í Los Angeles í Bandaríkjunum á miðvikudag.„Í stað blóma er þe...
Skýr merki um kólnun í hagkerfinu
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Skýr merki um kólnun í hagkerfinu
Una Jónsdóttir, forstöðumaður greiningardeildar Landsbankans, segir skýr merki um kólnun í hagkerfinu og viðbúið að dragi úr verðbólgu þegar líður á v...
Sagður hafa átt í sam­skiptum við kín­verskan njósnara - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Sagður hafa átt í sam­skiptum við kín­verskan njósnara - Vísir
Bandaríkjamenn hafa um árabil unnið hörðum höndum að því að koma í veg fyrir að bandarísk tækni á sviði gervigreindar endi í höndum Kínverja. Huang he...
Birta myndir úr aðgerðinni ótrúlegu í norður Úkraínu – Leiðslurnar aðeins 1,2 metrar í þvermál
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Birta myndir úr aðgerðinni ótrúlegu í norður Úkraínu – Leiðslurnar aðeins 1,2 metrar í þvermál
Birt hefur verið myndefni úr aðdraganda hernaðaraðgerðinnar Veles í Úkraínu. Komust úkraínskir hermenn langt inn fyrir víglínu Rússa og náðu stóru svæ...
What leaked audio reveals about Spain train crash
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 5
What leaked audio reveals about Spain train crash
Recordings between a control centre and the train drivers appear to show one train was given clearance to move even though another train had stalled o...
Héldu nám­skeið um heiðursofbeldi - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Héldu nám­skeið um heiðursofbeldi - Vísir
Samkvæmt svörum frá ráðuneytinu við fyrirspurn Vísis var námskeiðið liður í eftirfylgd aðgerða sem lúta að heiðursofbeldi í þingsályktun um framkvæmda...
King Charles in Guyana as Bahamas visit declared 'diplomatic success'
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
King Charles in Guyana as Bahamas visit declared 'diplomatic success'
As the King left the Bahamas his spokesman said the islands had "a special place in the King's heart".
Stundum gott að fara öruggu leiðina - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Stundum gott að fara öruggu leiðina - Vísir
Þóra er 28 ára markaðsgella og ljósmyndari sem ræddi við blaðamann um tískuna, fataskápinn og skemmtileg tískuslys. Þóra Ólafs sækir í stílhreinar flí...
Bólusetning gegn ristli gæti komið í veg fyrir heilabilun
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Bólusetning gegn ristli gæti komið í veg fyrir heilabilun
Rannsóknir benda til að bólusetning gegn ristli geti dregið úr líkum á heilabilun. Ristill er sjúkdómur af völdum sömu veiru og veldur hlaupabólu. Han...
Israeli opposition accuses Netanyahu of trying to 'delegitimise' election
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Israeli opposition accuses Netanyahu of trying to 'delegitimise' election
The PM's Likud party has alleged foreign interference and said Arab-led parties "stole" the election after his coalition lost its majority.
Spjallið með Frosta Logasyni | Teitur Atlason – Er fjölmenningin að bresta?
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Spjallið með Frosta Logasyni | Teitur Atlason – Er fjölmenningin að bresta?
Spjallið með Frosta LogasyniFrosti Logason og Teitur Atlason ræða mótmæli og óeirðir í Evrópu og velta fyrir sér hvað liggi að baki óánægjunni. Þeir r...
Póstkort hlýtur verðlaun í New York sem besta stutta heimildarmyndin
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Póstkort hlýtur verðlaun í New York sem besta stutta heimildarmyndin
Íslenska heimildarmyndin Póstkort eftir Freyju Kristinsdóttur hlaut um síðustu helgi verðlaun sem besta stutta heimildarmyndin á Nordic International ...
Hvað veistu um... Með allt á hreinu? - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Hvað veistu um... Með allt á hreinu? - Vísir
Þá lifa frasar úr myndinni enn góðu lífi enda persónur úr myndinni, Stinni Stuð, Harpa Sjöfn að ógleymdum Dúdda rótara, með eindæmum orðheppnar. En hv...
Patrick Stewart látinn - Vísir
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 4
Patrick Stewart látinn - Vísir
Variety greinir frá en samkvæmt yfirlýsingu á Instagram-reikningi hans háði Stewart skamma baráttu við Alzheimers og Lewy-sjúkdóm áður en hann lést. Í...
Patrick Stewart látinn
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 2
Patrick Stewart látinn
Breski leikarinn Patrick Stewart er látinn 86 ára að aldri. Stewart er einna helst þekktur fyrir leik sinn í Star Trek myndunum og X-men. Greint var f...
Ásgeir Helgi nýr verslunarstjóri Ofar
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Ásgeir Helgi nýr verslunarstjóri Ofar
Ofar hefur ráðið Ásgeir Helga Þrastarson sem verslunarstjóra í verslun fyrirtækisins að Borgartúni 37.Ásgeir Helgi kemur til Ofar frá Epli, þar sem ha...
Lífeyrissjóður verzlunarmanna verður Lifa lífeyrissjóður
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 2
Lífeyrissjóður verzlunarmanna verður Lifa lífeyrissjóður
Lífeyrissjóður verzlunarmanna mun taka upp nafnið Lifa lífeyrissjóður að fengnu samþykki aukaársfundar mánudaginn 16. nóvember. Kemur þetta fram í fré...
Búnaðurinn margfalt verðmætari en gagnaverin sjálf
📅 29.10.2026 👁️ 3
Búnaðurinn margfalt verðmætari en gagnaverin sjálf
Til að komast inn á athafnasvæði AtNorth þarf að fara í gegnum rammgert öryggishlið og greinilegt er að mikil áhersla er lögð á öryggismál. Þar hittum...