A Circle of Support for Bereaved Parents Who Lose a Baby to Miscarriage and Early Pregnancy Loss
After 9 years of providing early intervention peer support to women who have experienced a miscarriage The Pink Elephants Support Network (PESN) is thrilled to announce $4million in funding from the federal Department of Health and Aged Care to scale their support services.
In October 2023 Pink Elephants launched The Miscarriage Rebellion podcast calling on Government to URGENTLY provide more funding to Pink Elephants to provide more support. The call has been heard by The Hon Ged Kearney MP & Assistant Health Minister.
Niti Nadarajah shared her experience of recurrent pregnancy loss on Episode 7 of the podcast to highlight the urgent need for more support and awareness Pink Elephants is a collective of many women's experiences of pregnancy loss bravely sharing their experiences to foster more empathy and understanding and drive much needed change in the sector.
This significant Miscarriage Support grant will provide appropriate and timely support for women and families who have experienced miscarriage. This support will reduce the likelihood of complicated grief, which can lead to increased mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Miscarriage Roundtable - Senator Marielle Smith, Pink Elephants Beneficiary, Hon Ged Kearney MP, Sam Payne, Pink Elephants Beneficiary
“Miscarriage is yet another area of women’s health that has been overlooked, with some women encouraged to just move past what in reality can be a very traumatic experience.
“To experience miscarriage is to experience loss. A loss that can lead to complicated grief, increased mental health issues, and extended periods out of the workforce with associated losses of income. I believe everyone deserves care during a period as difficult as miscarriage.
“We know that some Australian communities are less likely than others to seek support, or know about supports available, after a miscarriage. In a country as diverse as Australia, this isn’t good enough. The Albanese Labor Government is working to ensure healthcare is accessible to all.”
Hon Ged Kearney MP
Digital Circle of Support
The Digital Circle of Support is a collaborative approach to providing the best care for bereaved parents who lose a baby due to miscarriage and early pregnancy loss. Early pregnancy loss specialists PESN, together with PANDA and Stillbirth CRE, will scale existing and new services to provide specialised, early intervention care and miscarriage support. This collaboration will ensure that everyone who needs it has access to a personalised circle of support, appropriate to their needs and location, and links to support pathways and support options, reducing the likelihood of poor mental health outcomes after the experience of miscarriage.
Pink Elephants Support Network will partner with the Stillbirth CRE and Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) to deliver specialised, early intervention care and support to women and their families who have experienced miscarriage.
Specific activities will include:
1. Development of a Digital Circle of Support, including live chat, a peer support framework, and personalised digital content. This will include the development of one themed PODCAST series per year incorporating a diverse range of pregnancy loss experiences that normalise health seeking behaviours for early pregnancy loss.
2. Adaptation and enhancement of the Stillbirth CRE’s Living with Loss Program into two new stand-alone programs targeted at families experiencing miscarriage and/or recurrent miscarriage. Topics covered will include: ‘Understanding grief’, ‘Coping with grief’, ‘Thinking about grief’, ‘Facing hard situations’, ‘Strengthening relationships’ and ‘The future’.
“We are excited to be able to partner with Pink Elephants and deliver Living with Loss for the early pregnancy loss community.”
Dr Siobhan Loughnan, The Stillbirth CRE
3. Delivering Miscarriage Intensive Care and Counselling Services through PANDA, which will provide targeted mental health intervention for families experiencing miscarriage and/or recurrent miscarriage. This activity will address both the immediate emotional needs and longer-term mental health concerns of individuals and families affected by miscarriage.
"PANDA is proud to be partnering with Pink Elephants to deliver specialised miscarriage mental health and wellbeing services. This funding will bridge the gap in specialised support for families who have experienced miscarriage across Australia. By partnering with PANDA, Pink Elephants combine their expertise with our telehealth and counselling expertise, so we can offer an accessible, digitally mental health accredited service to families."
Julie Borninkhof, PANDA CEO
In the current climate of a cost of living crisis this funding will ensure access to FREE support services for those that need it most and reduce the likelihood of poor mental health outcomes later in their journeys that can have a significant financial burden on Australia’s healthcare system. Investing in early intervention peer support shows the federal government understands that miscarriage is a traumatic event in a woman's lifetime and it is very worthy of bereavement support. This in turn reduces shame and stigma associated with early pregnancy loss and reduces barriers to access support services. Pink Elephants could not be prouder of this significant milestone in the history of miscarriage.
Every year it is estimated that up to 110,000 Australian women will experience a miscarriage. This can be traumatic and take a lasting toll on their physical and mental health, especially for the 1–2 percent of women who tragically have three or more miscarriages in a row. Women who experience a miscarriage commonly report a lack of information, poor access to follow-up care and limited referral to counselling or other services. They also experience stigma and a feeling of shame that is compounded by a medical system that doesn’t meet their needs.
“Acknowledgement is at the heart of our work as such I wish to acknowledge all of the babies lives lost to miscarriage and the brave women that shared their experiences with me over the years and publicly to make this funding possible. I of course want to acknowledge and thank The Hon Ged Kearney MP for listening to me and our communities needs and delivering this funding support that will have a long lasting impact on tens of thousands of Australians each year.”
Samantha Payne, Founder and CEO
Niti Nadarajah shares her story on the Miscarriage Rebellion podcast. The podcast was crucial in creating a call to action to Government to fund miscarriage support services.
Grateful we can continue to help, ensuring no one has to navigate the grief of early pregnancy loss alone.
Read More:
Women's Agenda - Pink Elephants secures $4 million to scale up support for parents who have experienced miscarriage
Ministers Department of Health and Aged Care - Delivering more support for families after miscarriage
We Are Here. No Matter Where You Are.
For those currently struggling with the pain of miscarriage or early pregnancy loss, Pink Elephants offers a range of support online and over the phone.
Support