A mum whose heartbreaking baby loss saw her campaign for dedicated units for women who suffer complications in pregnancy is now calling for specialist services to be rolled out across the UK.
And Louise Caldwell from East Kilbride says she needs the support of women across the country more than ever.
Louise had to endure the trauma of delivering her stillborn baby in a labour ward in 2019 after a 12-week scan revealed the little one she was carrying didn’t have a heartbeat.
The loss endured by Louise, 38, and her husband, Craig, as well as countless other women across the country saw her start her campaign and launch a petition which has so far secured over 30,000 signatures.
Her campaign saw dedicated miscarriage facilities included in the Scottish Government's Women’s Health Plan and a commitment from NHS Lanarkshire for specialist services in Wishaw General Hospital by the end of the year.
She met this week with Maree Todd, the Scottish Government's Minister for Health and Sport and Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon and will also attend a virtual women's health Cross-Party Group (CPG).
But she says her fight can't stop there.
"This affects women not only in Scotland, but women across the UK and indeed across the world. The facilities shouldn't stop in Scotland, they need to be across the UK and that's what I want to see happen now," she told Lanarkshire Live.
"But I need to build momentum, I need women everywhere to shout as loudly as they can and contact their own MPs and even health boards. I can't do it alone.
"I have already had women from across the UK and even Europe share their stories with me, which had been absolutely heart breaking as in many ways I am still grieving and dealing with my family's own trauma, but I still need more women to speak out."
Louise says with the units in Scotland not planned to become a reality until the end of 2023 - too many women will have to endure the harrowing experience she did before then.
"I want to end the trauma of women who suffer a miscarriage of having to deliver on a labour ward now - not in two or three years time," Louise went on.
"One in four women go through a miscarriage, this is a quarter of all mothers to be and one in every 250 pregnancies ends in a still birth in the UK – that’s eight babies every day.
“No woman past, present or future should have to deal with the emotional upset of being in the labour ward where you are met with new born baby photos on walls, thank you cards, baby cries and proud partners.
“Nothing could have prepared us for that walk through the corridor to get out of the labour ward – clutching a memory box and not my baby. It was one of the longest walks of our life."
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP, Dr Lisa Cameron, presented Louise with an Early Day Motion from the House of Commons last year commending her tireless campaigning.
She is backing Louise's call for change and said: "I am very keen that swift progress is made for those experiencing traumatic miscarriage in Scotland and across the UK, and I have assured Louise that I will continue to do all possible to support her campaign in the House of Commons and that I will also raise it in my forthcoming meeting with the CEO of NHS Lanarkshire."
Cheryl Clark, NHS Lanarkshire chief midwife, said: “We recognise what a difficult time it is for a patient experiencing miscarriage and we have a number of measures in place to support women who have suffered an early pregnancy loss.
"Recognising the importance of privacy and grieving in a quiet and protected space, NHS Lanarkshire aim to finalise a dedicated unit for women and their families by the end of the year. This facility is sound proofed and in a quiet space within University Hospital Wishaw.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “As set out in our Programme for Government, we are committed to establishing a dignified, compassionate miscarriage service tailored to the needs of women by the end of 2023.
"The aim is to support the development of individualised care plans after a woman’s first miscarriage and ensure women’s services have dedicated facilities for women who are experiencing unexpected pregnancy complications.
“Women’s Health Minister Maree Todd met Ms Caldwell to hear about her experiences and perspectives on improving miscarriage care.”
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