Website launched to support women who suffer early miscarriages

A new website has been launched to assist persons who have miscarriages in the first trimester after research groups found a lack of support for women who suffer loss in their early pregnancy.

One in four pregnancies end in first trimester miscarriage.

The Pregnancy Loss Research Group and INFANT Research Centre at University College Cork say that the stress is unexpected and can be an upsetting experience. The silence associated with pregnancy loss can be compounded by the lack of reliable, accessible online information.

The new website provides medically accurate, sensitive and user-friendly information for those who experience first trimester miscarriage.

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It is designed to guide users through what to expect when a miscarriage happens, what to do and how to access appropriate services, while complementing the care and support women receive in maternity hospitals.

The website will also be a helpful resource for clinical staff who care for bereaved parents through the difficult journey of miscarriage.

Clinical Bereavement Midwife Specialist Anna Maria Verling says the website is badly needed.

“We identified a particular gap in the information and support available to women and their partners who experience first trimester miscarriage. Couples need to have access to reliable, medically accurate information when healthcare professionals may not be available to answer their questions and alleviate their worries. Developing an online resource meets this need.”

Parent advocate Rachel Rice says that it wasn't until she experienced pregnancy loss that she realised how unprepared she was for the physical and emotional reality of miscarriage.

“It is not always possible at the time of diagnosis to take in all the information that is provided by healthcare professionals. It would have made such a difference to have had access to understandable and reliable information that I could have referred to at any time, day or night.”

While the website is specific to the services operating in Cork University Maternity Hospital, the information is relevant to parents and maternity services nationally and internationally. The website can be accessed at www.corkmiscarriage.com.