Perinatal Mortality

(asked on 7th July 2026) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have made to include the National Bereavement Care Pathway for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancy in mandatory guidance for the NHS.


Answered by
Baroness Merron Portrait
Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 13th July 2026

In October 2025, NHS England set out the expectation, through the Medium Term Planning Framework, for trusts to implement the National Bereavement Care Pathway for stillbirth and neonatal death. In practice, some of these standards will also be applicable in the context of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and molar pregnancy, offering support for these women and families.

While miscarriage and other types of pregnancy loss were not explicitly covered in Baroness Amos’ final report into National Health Service maternity and neonatal care, she did make a recommendation around fundamentally reforming care, including through the development of a new modern service framework. The taskforce will consider all stages of maternity and neonatal care when developing its new national action plan, and we anticipate that the taskforce may wish to include pregnancy loss.

We are also working closely with NHS England to improve the availability of Early Pregnancy Assessment Units, and have extended the Baby Loss Certificate scheme, which provides recognition of pre-24-week loss.

Reticulating Splines