‘Miscarriage can cause trauma... no matter how early’ LAW CHANGE
THE painful subject of miscarriage is rarely talked about, yet it affects one in four women in Ireland.
This week, Sile Seoige bravely shone the spotlight on her own miscarriage in the hard-hitting TG4 documentary Deireadh Tochta.
In the programme, former Miss World Rosanna Davison also recounted how she had 14 miscarriages on her painful journey to motherhood.
Social Democrats TD JENNIFER WHITMORE tells us why Ireland needs to follow New Zealand’s lead with paid leave for women who suffer miscarriage...
There are certain words you never hear spoken in the Dail chamber – miscarriage is one of them. It’s not even a topic openly discussed in Irish society, despite the fact one in five pregnancies throughout the country ends in miscarriage, affecting 14,000 women.
The statistic is one in four when you take into account the females who go through miscarriages at home without seeking medical assistance.
Sadly, the reality is there are women who are too upset or ashamed to talk to their doctor about a miscarriage.
I recently had the opportunity to raise the issue in the Dail after the New Zealand parliament voted for the introduction of paid leave for women who suffer miscarriages.
Hopefully this is the start of a conversation that will be replicated throughout global political institutions.
Not for the first time, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, has demonstrated true leadership and has shown the world just how engaged a government can be if they implement policies designed to support women and families.
New Zealand is only offering three days’ bereavement leave so it may seem like a modest step forward.
But it represents a seismic shift in policy by recognising the varied and often complex needs of women who experience a miscarriage at any stage in a pregnancy.
In Ireland a woman can access full maternity leave and benefits in the event of a miscarriage or stillbirth after 24 weeks. That is only right and proper.
However, there is no entitlement to leave for women who suffer a miscarriage earlier in a pregnancy. This needs to change.
Every pregnancy is different – but so is every miscarriage. When you get pregnant there is an overwhelming sense of excitement and optimism.
Will you be having a girl or boy? What will their name be? Will I be a good parent? You start to picture your child’s life and their future. You worry about them before they are even born.
But the euphoria that often follows a positive pregnancy test can be replaced by extreme feelings of loss, anxiety and trauma following a miscarriage, no matter how early or late it occurs in a pregnancy. In some cases, medical intervention or hospitalisation is required.
It can be a lonely experience even for women with supportive partners.
Some report feelings of guilt as if they were in some way responsible.
Tragically, many women go on to experience multiple miscarriages. The impact of a miscarriage on men should not be overlooked either.
They should also be entitled to paid leave so they can be there for their partners and afforded the time and space to deal with their own grief.
We urgently need to follow New Zealand’s example by introducing paid leave for women who find themselves in this situation. They may have been through a lot of physical and mental difficulties and need time to rest and emotionally recover after dealing with such devastating loss.
Any provision of paid leave for women who miscarry needs to be as flexible as possible. Emotional triggers can occur at different times for
different women, such as their first period after a miscarriage or the passing of the due date.
Legislation also needs to be framed in such a way that women’s privacy is respected.
For instance, they may not wish their employer to know they have had a miscarriage and should not be
compelled to disclose such personal information to avail of bereavement leave. After I raised this issue with the Minister for Children during a debate on the Parental Leave Bill, I received a huge response from women.
There was genuine relief their lived experiences were finally finding their way into the political arena. Their feedback should inform the drafting of policy in this area. It’s not just about leave – it’s about putting the proper mental supports in place to help women cope with the aftermath of such a traumatic event.
Some women spoke of leaving hospital after they miscarried without even being asked how they were feeling. This is not good enough.
Our health service should wrap its arms around these women and ensure they have the space to talk about this issue freely. Our existing legislation falls short of protecting prospective parents during the often-unpredictable journey of parenthood. We need to do better by them. The leadership and vision displayed in New Zealand are desperately needed in this country.
Jennifer Whitmore TD is the Social Democrats spokesperson for Children and Youth Affairs.
SUNDAY MIRROR
It’s not about leave – it’s about putting the proper mental support in place to help JENNIFER WHITMORE TD CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL HELP