Baby Loss Awareness Week survey shows half of UK adults have been affected by pregnancy or baby loss

The survey was commissioned by the group of 130 charities who come together each year to mark the week, led by Sands, Tommy’s, Bliss, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, The Lullaby Trust, and The Miscarriage Association.

The most mentioned type of loss in the survey was a form of miscarriage (40%), followed by stillbirth (13%), ectopic pregnancy (12%), termination for medical reasons (6%), neonatal death (5%), and molar pregnancy (2%). People were asked to select all types of loss that applied.

Only 40% said they or someone they know had never experienced pregnancy loss or baby loss, while 6% answered “prefer not to say” and 4% answered “don’t know”.

A higher proportion of women (62%) said that they or someone they knew had been affected compared to men (38%).

Chair of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance and Chief Executive of Sands, Clea Harmer said:  

“This latest survey demonstrates the scale of pregnancy and baby loss across the UK. What we must remember is that behind these numbers are people who have experienced a deeply personal loss. There’s no set way to grieve or remember a pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, but what we do know is that appropriate, timely and sensitive bereavement support can be hugely beneficial.

“The percentage of women reporting they know someone affected, compared to men, suggests that there is still a stark difference between women and men talking about pregnancy and baby loss. One of the aims of Baby Loss Awareness Week is to support anyone impacted by pregnancy or baby loss to feel comfortable if they wish to speak openly about their loss, and to educate others about this subject. With so many people touched by this issue, we need to break the silence and ensure more people are supported to navigate their lives after loss.”

The YouGov survey follows the publication of a survey by Tommy’s exploring whether work to break the silence around miscarriage and raise awareness is helping change public attitudes which showed more work needs to be done.

This is why Baby Loss Awareness Week is such an important moment in the year, raising awareness of the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss and giving families the chance to take a moment to remember all the much-loved babies who were lost too soon.  

Tommy’s Midwifery Manager Amina Hatia says:  

“Losing a baby can be lonely and isolating. You may feel that there’s no one out there who can relate, but it is important to know you are not alone and support is out there. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to grieve, and no set timescale. Some find it comforting to talk about their feelings with close friends and family, others might prefer to connect with new people online, and some may choose to participate in public moments such as Baby Loss Awareness Week.

“We understand that Baby Loss Awareness Week can be particularly difficult for many in our community, but no matter your experience, Tommy’s sees you and we are here for you.”

Currently in the UK, 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss during pregnancy or birth with many families never getting the answers why. At Tommy’s, we're working to change this. Our researchers, midwives and clinics are dedicated to growing understanding, finding treatments and the best care so fewer parents experience the heartbreak and devastation of loss. We’re here to provide hope.

That’s why to start this year’s Baby Loss Awareness Week, we held our first Walk for Hope in Battersea Park, which saw 100s of fundraisers join us for a sponsored twilight walk to remember their much-loved babies while raising vital funds to support families and save babies’ lives.

Throughout Baby Loss Awareness Week, landmarks and buildings across the UK will be lit up pink and blue and people will be holding remembrance events and creating ribbon displays in their hometowns to help raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss, remember much-loved babies and open conversations.

Baby Loss Awareness Week will culminate in a global Wave of Light at 7pm on 15 October. This is a special time when everyone is invited, wherever they are in the world, to light a candle at 7pm local time as a special mark of support and remembrance for all babies that have died.  

For the third year in a row our friends at Plum & Ashby, in collaboration with Tommy’s Ambassador Elle Wright, have teamed up to donate 100% of profits from their Wave of Light candle to Tommy’s to support our research.  

You can also join a digital Wave of Light from 7pm on 15 October by posting a photo of a candle to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #WaveOfLight.

On Thursday 19 October the annual parliamentary debate on baby loss will take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. This year’s debate focuses on progress since the Ockenden Report into maternity services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).