Offering tests after first baby loss could prevent 10,000 miscarriages a year, study claims | UK News

Offering women further tests after their first miscarriage could prevent more than 10,000 baby losses a year in the UK, according to a new study. 

A report by Tommy’s, a pregnancy and baby charity, claims additional measures at an earlier stage could spare thousands of families the trauma of a pregnancy loss and could be implemented “without significant additional workload for NHS teams”.

Currently, the NHS, in most cases, will run tests after a third miscarriage; however, Tommy’s argues this leaves families “unsupported” and their “grief unrecognised”.

A graded model of care

The study, conducted by researchers at Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research and Birmingham Women’s Hospital, trialled a so-called graded model of care.

Under the model, women with a history of one or more miscarriages would receive care at an earlier stage, including a one-to-one consultation with a specialist nurse after their first loss.

Supplements of the hormone progesterone may also be offered during future pregnancies if a woman has experienced early vaginal bleeding.

After two miscarriages, patients would be offered tests for anaemia and abnormal thyroid function, and if they go on to have a third, they would then be offered the current standard NHS care.

Professor Arri Coomarasamy, director of Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, said: “If the graded model were implemented across the UK, our study indicates it could prevent around 10,075 miscarriages every year.

“That’s more than 10,000 families bringing their babies home instead of suffering the trauma of a pregnancy loss.”

‘The right thing to do’

The study included 203 women with a history of one or more miscarriages being given the early intervention, along with 203 who were provided with the usual care.

It found that of those under the graded model of care, 86% had one or more factors detected that could increase their risk of future miscarriages, compared with 58% in the group who were given standard care.

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Women treated using the graded model had a 4% lower risk of a pregnancy after miscarriage ending in another loss, according to the report, while one in five women who had experienced two losses were found to have either thyroid problems or anaemia – which were picked up in blood tests they would not usually be offered at that stage.

Tommy’s – which estimates there are about 250,000 miscarriages in the UK each year – also claims the measures could save the NHS more than £40m after one year.

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The charity’s chief executive, Kath Abrahams, called current NHS care “inconsistent” and said the results from the pilot study suggest the graded model is “the right thing to do”.

Ms Abrahams said: “Our pilot study indicates that providing support after a first miscarriage, with escalating care after further losses, is not only effective but achievable without significant additional workload for NHS teams who are already working extremely hard to deliver good care.”

She added that Scotland has already embedded the new model into its miscarriage care pathway and said England, Wales and Northern Ireland should do the same.

The government has pledged to review miscarriage support in the new Women’s Health Strategy.

Baroness Merron, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care, called the research “crucial” and said it will be “carefully considered”.