‘Men Living Through Multiple Miscarriages’: A new research project

A new research project examining the emotional and social effects of multiple miscarriages upon men has been launched at the Tommy’s National Centre of Miscarriage Research.

19 September 2019

Currently, medical professionals have a limited understanding of men’s experience of multiple miscarriages. A new, pioneering study – ‘Men Living Through Multiple Miscarriages’ - aims to identify how men can be supported in order to enable early pregnancy doctors, midwives and nurses to improve miscarriage care and support.

“Pregnancy complications and baby loss do not only impact women. These experiences can have a devastating impact on men too. Too often, fathers are left out of discussions, their feelings pushed aside. People assume that men are emotionally less affected than women because they do not experience the biological effects of baby loss, and because many people consider masculinity to mean absence of emotion.”
Kate Marsh, Tommy’s Midwife

 “Many men describe feelings of disorientation and fear during and after miscarriage. Men who experience multiple miscarriages may also find grief and anxiety intensified by loss of hope for any healthy pregnancy in the future.”
Helen Williams, Doctoral Researcher, Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, University of Birmingham

The study is led by Professor Arri Coomarasamy, centre director at Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research, and Miss Helen Williams, alongside Professor Anne Topping and Dr Laura Jones. The team is currently recruiting participants.

Who can participate?

  • You must be male and aged 18 years or over

  • You must have a history of two or more clinically confirmed pregnancies that both ended in miscarriage before 16 completed weeks of gestation, with the most recent loss no more than 12 months ago

  • You must be able to have a conversation in English

  • We are looking for individuals without an infertility diagnosis

What does the study involve? 

Participants will be asked to take part in telephone interviews. These interviews will be audio-recorded, transcribed into written form and anonymised.

If you have any questions, please email Helen Williams at the University of Birmingham at [email protected].

To find out more about research trials that are currently recruiting participants, please click here. 

Tommy’s news and views