Improving miscarriage care

£1.5 million to support delivery of compassionate, high-quality care

Women can expect improved miscarriage care Public Health and Women’s Health Minister Jenni Minto has pledged, after unveiling a new framework, backed by £1.5 million funding.

The framework sets out a range of actions for Scotland’s NHS boards to implement, including ensuring that women going through miscarriage have a separate, private space. It will introduce a graded model of miscarriage care across the country. This means all women can receive tailored support and services, and won’t have to wait until a third miscarriage. This will include access to progesterone prescriptions – where clinically appropriate – both for threatened and recurrent miscarriage.

These changes will be supported by £1.5 million Scottish Government funding and aim to ensure that early pregnancy care is equitable so that no women are disadvantaged, regardless of where they access and receive care.

The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health said: “The loss of a baby, no matter at what stage of pregnancy, has a profound and lasting impact on women and their families.

“To all who have experienced such a tragedy, I offer my deepest sympathy. The Scottish Government recognises this impact and is clear that women and families who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss must be provided with the right information, care and support, tailored to their individual circumstances.

“I am very grateful to everyone in Scotland’s NHS who works to provide miscarriage care and support.

“I know there is already a lot of good work underway within NHS Boards to improve miscarriage care services. The 2025-26 Budget, if approved by Parliament, will provide £1.5 million to support NHS Boards to improve delivery of sensitive and compassionate miscarriage care.”

Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive of pregnancy charity Tommy’s commented: “We are delighted to see the Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland launching today.

“The Framework is a real milestone on the path to excellent care for women and families in Scotland and Tommy’s has been pleased to work closely with our colleagues in Scottish Government as they have developed the Framework, which aims to ensure the right support and care for parents after every tragic loss.

“With compassionate care at its heart, we are looking forward to continuing to support our Scottish colleagues as they oversee the rollout.”

The Miscarriage Association’s Chief Executive Vicki Robinson said: “We are extremely pleased to see the publication of this important Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland, which represents a significant step forward in ensuring that those experiencing miscarriage receive the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve during such a heart-breaking time.

“This framework is a vital step in providing evidence-based care and offering women additional support in early pregnancy. We are proud to have contributed to its development and look forward to seeing it bring positive change. This is a crucial milestone in ensuring that miscarriage care is accessible, equitable, and compassionate across Scotland.”