Sadly, sometimes a pregnancy does not continue beyond a few weeks or a baby dies during the pregnancy. This can be an overwhelming time for the parents, with many mixed emotions such as sadness, anger, guilt or disbelief. These are all normal feelings and there is no right or wrong way to react.
The important thing to know is that you are not alone and there is help from NHS Lothian Maternity Services and local or national charities to support you and your partner at this difficult time. Your midwife or doctor will be there to guide you and help you access the support which is the most suitable for you, your partner and your family.
NHS Lothian Pregnancy Support Centre
The Pregnancy Support Centre provides specialist care for women until twelve weeks of pregnancy.
If you are LESS THAN 12 WEEKS PREGNANT and are concerned with abdominal pain or bleeding, please contact:
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh – Pregnancy Support Centre 0131 242 2438
St John’s Hospital – Early Pregnancy Unit 01506 524 015
NHS Lothian works closely with the Miscarriage Association which offers a range of support and resources, including an information section on their website, help to deal with feelings and emotions and a phone helpline 01924 200799 open Monday – Friday from 9am-4pm.
For information on local support offered by the Miscarriage Association, please phone the local coordinators Nicky (0131 447 5038) or Lindsay ( 07929 727 189).
NHS Scotland
NHS Scotland offers advice and information to parents following a miscarriage or the death of a baby during pregnancy:
Local and national charities who can offer support
We recognise that when a pregnancy does not continue or a baby dies during pregnancy, it can be an incredibly painful and traumatic experience. It can also be an extremely lonely time as you may struggle to find others who understand the feelings and emotions you are experiencing. We understand how difficult it might be to reach out or pick up the phone and yet support at this time can be hugely beneficial. A member of your family, a friend or your healthcare professional can also contact these charities on your behalf.
Held in Our Hearts – An Edinburgh-based charity providing support to affected families. Our counsellors guide bereaved parents through the grieving process and our peer supporters give compassionate and flexible care in person, on Zoom, by text, email or by telephone. Our peer supporters are all bereaved parents. Our aim is to offer the best possible individualised support to families at all times. Families can contact us directly or someone can refer them on their behalf.
Email: info@heldinourhearts.org.uk
Website: www.heldinourhearts.org.uk
Little Babes Support Group Edinburgh | Facebook
Little Babes is a peer support Facebook group to support women and their partners in the Edinburgh area. This page is a safe, private space to share your thoughts and feelings. They also arrange regular coffee catch ups to meet in person.
Miscarriage Association The website is a comprehensive source of information and the pregnancy loss helpline is open Monday – Friday from 9am-4pm 01924 200799.
For information on local support offered by the Miscarriage Association, please phone Nicky (0131 447 5038) or Lindsay ( 07929 727 189).
SIMBA A Lothian-based charity providing memory boxes to bereaved parents to help gather timeless and precious memories of their child.
SANDS A national charity providing help to parents affected by miscarriage, pregnancy loss and the death of a baby. They provide a variety of resources and various forms of support.
ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices) offer support for parents who have lost a baby after a pregnancy diagnosis.
Our bereavement support – Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) (arc-uk.org)
The helpline can be contacted in various ways and is answered by trained staff.
Monday to Friday: 10.00am – 5.30pm
call 020 7713 7486 or text: 07908 683004
Tuesday and Thursday: 8 – 10pm – email info@arc-uk.org to arrange an evening call.
NHS Lothian Bereavement Service
This service provides practical support to parents. Depending on your circumstances, we can help with registration processes, funeral options and arrangements and can also signpost families to the bereavement support most suited to them.
Support Services – Bereavement Service (nhslothian.scot)
Tel: 0131 242 6995 or 0131 242 1996 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm)
Email: bereavement.service@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Spiritual Care
Spiritual care is part of the care offered by the NHS. It recognises that our beliefs, values, and understanding of life can help us cope at times of illness, change, or bereavement.
As chaplains, we offer spiritual care to patients, their family and loved ones, as well as to staff and volunteers.
We do this by listening to your story, offering space for reflection, supporting you at times of loss, and by facilitating prayer, blessings, ritual and celebration.
If you are a patient in hospital and would like to speak to a chaplain, we can be contacted via ward staff or you may phone our offices 0131 242 1990.
If you are not in a hospital, or should you need to speak with us urgently, please call Switchboard 0131 536 1000.
We’re also on Facebook and Twitter – search ‘NHS Lothian Spiritual Care’
Memorial Book of Pregnancy and Baby Loss
Miscarriages can sadly happen at any stage and a baby may die later in the pregnancy, during the second-trimester. You may find it very hard to understand why, when a baby dies late in pregnancy, it is called a miscarriage rather than a stillbirth and accept how that affects your ability to register your baby’s death with the registration office. The reason is that 24 weeks of pregnancy is currently the legal age of viability in the UK.
Parents have campaigned to change this and the National Records of Scotland now offer the opportunity to register a pregnancy loss or the death of a baby that occurred before 24 weeks. The Memorial Book, launched in October 2023, provides recognition and may offer comfort to those who wish to have a record of their baby’s existence. It was developed after listening to people who have experienced a pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Applications for entries to be made in the Memorial Book are provided on a voluntary basis as there is no legal requirement to record the loss of a pregnancy or the death of a baby which took place before the 24th week.
There is no time limit on making an application for an entry in the Memorial Book. Applications may be submitted for an historical or a recent loss. A commemorative certificate of the entry will be issued to the applicant(s) free of charge.
For more information or to apply:
Helping you make a decision about a post mortem
We hope that this film, made by parents for parents, will help you with making your decision about whether to have a post mortem for your baby. We created the film from the experiences of other bereaved parents and we hope that knowing others have faced the same decision, will help you feel less alone at this painful time and give you some comfort. We hope that this animation will help you make an informed choice to decide what is best for your family.
We hope you found the information you were looking for on this page. Please, talk to your midwife or doctor if you have any question about anything. The important thing to know is that you are not alone and that there is help available from NHS Services and local or national charities to support you, your partner and your family at this difficult time.
