On average a quarter of a million women suffer a miscarriage every year in the UK. It is something none of us want to ever think about but regardless, it happens to at least 250,000 women every 12 months in this country. 

After I miscarried, for the second time, I went home and read all 280 pages of NICE guidance on miscarriages.

To my horror I realised that my experience was not only normal but the way the NHS is meant to manage this devastating experience. Reading the guidance showed me that there is no consideration for the mental wellbeing of the parents after losing the pregnancy.

One in four woman who miscarriage will go on to show symptoms of  trauma. 10% of women will develop full blown postnatal depression.

The current NICE guidelines are not adequate to support woman during miscarriage. It fails to address the emotional needs of woman who are expected to manage their miscarriage at home. A clearer pathway needs to be created to better identify patients with a high risk of developing physical and or mental complications.

Change needs to be made urgently. All women should be screened for emotional well-being at the time the miscarriage has been identified by the health services. If the proposed method of managing the miscarriage is 'expectant management at home', a standardised psychological assessment should be carried out first with regular follow up assessments to assess the women's psychological state.

In addition to this every woman who is expected to miscarry or who has miscarried should be viewed in light of their own circumstances, which range hugely from person to person. Many women are more vulnerable and therefore will need greater consideration and care for their mental wellbeing. It is important that NICE admits that a “one glove fits all” approach does not work for miscarriages and that the impact they have is complex and nuanced.

Early intervention has been proven to be very beneficial at preventing more severe mental health issues and long term effects.

In addition to these assessments health care professionals should avoid using medical terms to refer to a miscarried baby e.g. “The womb is clear of fetal tissue”, In front of a grieving parent and using sensitive terminology.

I am asking NICE to evaluate and seriously consider a standardized care assessment for mental health for people who have expereinced miscarriage - developing a new pathway with doctors and other health professionals to improve current care pathways."