Presented by Andrea Byrne, Miscarriage: Our Hidden Loss on ITV Tonight (8.30pm Thursday 17 August) follows on from 2022’s Miscarriage: The Hidden Loss for ITV Cymru Wales.
Andrea, who has called for conversations around “such a common experience” as miscarriage to be normalised and for support to be improved, shares her own experience of pregnancy loss throughout the show.
The first version of the programme was recognised for raising awareness and opening conversations around baby loss and was awarded the prize for best factual programme at this year’s RTS Cymru Wales Awards.
Our Chief Executive Kath Abrahams appears in both documentaries, discussing the scale and impact of miscarriage and why changes in care – so that women do not have to go through 3 miscarriages before they receive any type of mental health support or medical testing – are vital.
The new version of the programme was partly recorded following the publication of the Pregnancy Loss Review – a series of recommendations made to the Government which included the introduction of a ‘Graded Model of Care’ developed by our team at the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine ahead of the broadcast, presenter Andrea backed our campaign for this model and stressed the need for mental health care to be taken more seriously.
The documentary introduces the incredible developments in research led by the Miscarriage Research Centre’s Deputy Director Professor Siobhan Quenby in treating women and birthing people experiencing recurrent miscarriage.
In conversation with Andrea, our Chief Executive Kath Abrahams said:
"Miscarriage has been seen historically as just ‘one of those things’. What we know from the thousands of women that we talk to is that that simply isn’t the case. It is a devastating experience."
Among women to share their stories in the programme is Caroline, a new mum who had 21 miscarriages before care from Prof Quenby at University Hospital Coventry led to the birth of her daughter this summer.
Also speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, Caroline – with 1-month-old Amelia in her arms – said:
“It’s been such a lonely journey. The first time I had a miscarriage it felt like I was the only one going through this – am I the only one? I just felt in my heart, after 21 miscarriages, would I ever get to hold a baby? I always tried to stay optimistic that one day I would happen, it was always at the back of my mind not to give up hope.”
Miscarriage: The Hidden Loss broadcasts on ITV Tonight at 8.30pm Thursday 17 August and will be available to watch afterward via ITV.com
Read more about Caroline's story in The Mirror
