My name is Ruth Bender Atik and I'm the National Director of The Miscarriage Association. I am proud to be part of a community of staff and volunteers who are here for people who have been through the sadness and shock of pregnancy loss.
Sadly, an estimated 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. A further 1 in 80 is pregnancies is ectopic, where the baby begins growing in the wrong place, and a small but significant number is molar, where the baby and placenta don't develop as they should. Both ectopic and molar pregnancies carry health risks to the mother.
For most people, pregnancy loss means the loss of their baby and of their hopes, plans and dreams for their future family.
Pregnancy loss can be a deeply distressing and painful experience and is often a very lonely time. We are here to help people through.
Our staff team has the knowledge, compassion and experience to help, and our volunteers, who have been through pregnancy loss themselves, provide peer support and comfort.
Ruth Bender Atik, National Director
Our helpline team provides direct emotional support and practical information to over 10,000 people a year. We listen carefully so we can understand and respond to each person’s emotions, questions and dilemmas. They may need just to share their feelings with someone who understands. They may be wondering whether to try again for a baby, or how they might get through a subsequent pregnancy – so often a highly anxious time. In every case, we listen, we understand, and we help give people the resources they need.
“I had two miscarriages in 10 months. My life fell apart. Twice. I was broken. Feeling utterly alone. Struggling to get through each day… and then someone gave me your number. I called and I can’t even remember the names of the different ladies I spoke to, but I know that each of them were the most gentle, understanding angels. They talked me away from the edge and made me feel less isolated.”
Our website has over 2.5 million visits a year as we host a wealth of information and support on miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancy. Tens of thousands of people use our social media channels, which include two private Facebook groups.
Our aim is to ensure that everyone affected by pregnancy loss has the care, support and information that’s right for them and that no-one should have to go through this experience alone. We rely on donations and receive virtually no statutory funding.
“I made extensive use of the Miscarriage Association website after both my miscarriages. After my first miscarriage I also found myself calling the phone line during a particularly low period in my mental recovery. The woman at the end of the line was so calm, kind, and reassuring, I can never fully repay the help she gave just by listening to me and telling me I didn't do anything wrong.”
To find out more about our services and how you can become involved, come and see us at:
http://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk