Introduction of Miscarriage Cradle in Scottish Hospitals
Three hospitals in Scotland have begun using a device designed to provide dignity and practical assistance to women experiencing miscarriage.
The miscarriage cradle was developed by engineer Laura Corcoran following the loss of her third baby. After having to create her own method to collect her baby's remains, she invented a device to address the physical challenges, allowing women to focus on their emotional healing.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is the first health board in the UK to implement the device.
The Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, and Princess Royal Maternity in Glasgow now offer the miscarriage cradle to support women both at home and in hospital during miscarriage.
This marks the first instance of a group of UK hospitals committing to integrating this form of support across multiple sites.
The Scottish government estimates approximately 25,000 miscarriages occur annually in Scotland.
The miscarriage collection cradle is designed to fit over the toilet, ensuring the dignified collection of pregnancy tissue.
Origin of the Miscarriage Cradle
Laura Corcoran's invention originated during one of her most difficult experiences, when she began to miscarry for the third time.
Despite bleeding, she was informed there was no hospital space available and that she would need to manage the miscarriage at home.
"Within the NHS, you have to miscarry three times before you are eligible for testing to try to find some answers," Laura told BBC Scotland News.
When she inquired at the early pregnancy unit about how to collect the baby, she was told simply to "just manage."
"My husband and I are both engineers – we went into problem-solving mode and we ended up using a kitchen sieve to collect baby over the toilet and then we used a Chinese takeout container to store baby in the fridge over the weekend – the hospital said I wasn't allowed to bring them in out of hours and I miscarried on a Friday evening."
Laura described the experience as "a really awful time" during which she felt very vulnerable.
"It was completely undignified and it felt like I didn't matter, my baby didn't matter, there was nothing fit for purpose," she added.
During her recovery, Laura felt frustration that she had not been provided with the necessary tools to manage the process.
She then realized that the lack of appropriate resources was not unique to her situation but was a widespread issue for women experiencing baby loss.
Drawing on her engineering background, she began creating prototypes by cutting cardboard, taping parts together, and sketching designs. Once she had a workable concept, she used 3D printing to produce the first prototype.
After receiving patient and clinical feedback, she refined the design into the device currently in use.
"It allows women not to have to think of the practical aspects, to think about the emotional aspects, the grief. It gives them some space and time.
"The possibility that you might not be able to collect the baby and get access to testing adds weight to the problem," she added.
"To be able to collect the baby respectfully and without cross-contamination means women can get access to testing, find potential causes and then prevent them going through it again in their next pregnancy."
How Does the Miscarriage Cradle Work?
The device is semi-circular and fits under the toilet seat. At the centre of the circle is a removable sieve.
The sieve filters out unwanted material and retains the baby.
The collected remains are then placed into a watertight storage container, which can be taken to the hospital for testing or for burial or cremation.
Laura noted that an independent economic report for NHS England indicated that a 50% uptake of the device would save NHS Scotland £11.2 million, free up 12,000 gynaecology surgery slots, and reduce 10,000 emergency department visits.
The Scottish government has allocated £1.5 million to support the Scottish Miscarriage Framework, providing funding for health boards to adopt the miscarriage cradle.
"It has been a difficult journey. Knowing that it is helping other women has been incredibly empowering."
Personal Experience: 'The Cradle Would Have Made a Huge Difference to Me'
Zara Gavin, an engineer from West Lothian, expressed that she wished the device had been available when she suffered a miscarriage in 2021.
"I was due to have my 12-week scan and we found out that the baby had died.
"At that point our lives turned upside down. We had no idea what we were in for.
"We were given a leaflet and told we could go home and things would 'progress'.
"I was sent home with no idea what 'things' actually meant. The next few days were the worst ever."
Zara recalled the physical and emotional challenges she and her husband faced.
"I was back and forward to the bathroom and myself and my husband were just left to process this - to deal with it physically and mentally - and it was just horrific."
She believes that having access to the cradle would have significantly helped her, as she was unprepared for what was to come.
"Even discussion about the cradle and why it may be important might start the thought process in your head."
Charity Perspective: 'Parents' Stories Are Devastating - Anything That Helps Is Worth It'
Nicola Welsh from the baby loss charity Held in our Hearts emphasized that any measure that reduces trauma is valuable.
She explained that parents often do not know how to manage the process.
"Sometimes they say if it happens naturally at home you will be fine. But they then think, where am I going to actually collect my little one?
"There is something there and where do we put it, how do we get that to hospital or if it needs testing further or if we want to do something with them to make a memory.
"People were finding things in kitchens, or in the toilet – lots of very sad, devastating stories that when they are done they are done, and that becomes part of the story that we can't go back and amend again."
Nikki Harvey, lead nurse in gynaecology and early pregnancy at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, stated:
"We understand how upsetting a miscarriage can be for many women and we have processes in place to ensure they feel supported when this happens to them.
"We're pleased to be gradually introducing the Collection Cradle, offering it to women where it is clinically appropriate, starting with the Royal Alexandra Hospital and then into our other sites.
"This is another positive step in how we're supporting women to feel more in control of their care, enabling them to have dignified experiences at home.
"It is also a holistic approach to care, considering both a women's mental health and wellbeing involved in miscarriage as well as the physical side."
Information on support for miscarriage and pregnancy-related issues is available through the BBC Action Line.
