Birmingham Hospital Pilot Shows Small Reduction in Miscarriage Rates After One Prior Loss

Sally, 33, from Gloucester, has had two miscarriages but lacks access to the Birmingham pilot. She feels let down by the care and is not ready to try for another baby, saying access to such a project 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 said.

Under current NHS rules in England, three unsuccessful pregnancies are required to qualify for specialist help, with one in five pregnancies ending in miscarriage, most before 14 weeks. The pilot offers a one-to-one consultation with a specialist nurse after one miscarriage, discussing lifestyle changes like reducing alcohol and giving up smoking, and using progesterone.

After a second miscarriage, women in the pilot are tested for anaemia and abnormal thyroid function, and offered early scans.

Following a third, they receive referral to a recurrent miscarriage clinic, further blood tests, and a pelvic ultrasound. Researchers estimate the project could prevent around 10,000 miscarriages a year if implemented across the NHS. Professor Arri Coomarasamy, head of miscarriage research at Tommy's, called the three-miscarriage wait 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 said. He added that rolling out the findings could save the NHS money, as extra staff and training costs are outweighed by fewer miscarriages.

In last week's Women's Health Strategy announcement, the government said it was considering wider adoption of the pilot across the NHS in England. ' NHS Scotland does not wait until a third miscarriage for improvements and provides separate rooms in maternity units for women experiencing pregnancy loss. Northern Ireland and Wales follow the same guidelines as England.