Analysis: There is a significant gap between the needs of those who experience the loss of a pregnancy and the supports available in workplaces
By Marita Hennessy, Tara Woulfe and Keelin O'Donoghue, UCC
Pregnancy loss affects approximately one in every four pregnancies, with the majority happening within the first 12 weeks. While employees are entitled to statutory maternity and paternity leave for pregnancies that end in loss after 23 weeks (i.e. stillbirth), there is no statutory entitlement to leave for earlier losses.
In recent years, there is much discussion internationally about leave for pregnancies that end 'before viability', which in Ireland is defined as under 23 weeks - and the definition of stillbirth defined as a baby born with no signs of life at 23 weeks gestation or later, or with a birth weight of 400g or more. New Zealand garnered much media attention in 2021 when it introduced three days paid bereavement leave after miscarriage, with Australia following soon after with two days paid leave. As of January 1st, Malta now provides seven days' paid leave to be taken immediately following a miscarriage.
Other countries have committed to introducing leave. The UK government recently launched a public consultation on bereavement leave which would include pregnancies that end under 24 weeks, and Northern Ireland will introduce specific leave for miscarriage in April 2026.
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From RTÉ One's Morning Ireland, calls for time off work following a miscarriage
In Ireland, the introduction of leave for pregnancy loss under 24 (now 23) weeks has been under consideration by Government since 2021, when the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021 was introduced. This bill would provide for 20 days leave in cases of miscarriage. The Bill is at committee stage in Dáil Éireann, though its progress has been stalled at various points within the respective houses of the Oireachtas.
Another Bill, the Pregnancy Loss (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025, was introduced in the Seanad in May 2025. It would provide for five working days leave for the woman who carried a pregnancy that ended under 23 weeks and 2.5 days for partners. Reading of this Bill is now stalled until 9 July 2026 to allow the Government time to develop its own legislative proposals.
What are workers’ experiences in Ireland?
Following the introduction of the Reproductive Health Related Leave Bill in 2022, the then Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth commissioned members of our team, along with colleagues across UCC and the University of Galway, to conduct a one-year project to inform their decision-making regarding leave and other supports required for workers who experience pregnancy loss under 24 weeks.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline, Clare talks about her experience of miscarriage and the sensitivities around being informed.
As part of the PLACES project, we reviewed the international literature, statutory leave provisions for pregnancy loss in high-income countries and pregnancy loss policies across a range of workplaces. We also surveyed almost 1,000 people and interviewed 13 women and men who experienced pregnancy loss under 24 weeks.
We found that 10 countries or jurisdictions, out of 81 high-income countries, provided statutory leave in cases of pregnancy loss before the point at which viability is defined in that country; this ranged from two to 90 days. In 2023, nine out of 20 of the ‘best’ workplaces in Ireland that responded to our request for information (out of the 179 contacted) had a pregnancy loss policy – all provided paid leave, ranging from three to 20 days.
Through our survey and interviews, we identified gaps between people's needs and their experiences. 85% found it difficult to return to work, and half of those who returned immediately did so because they did not want to tell anybody in their workplace about their loss.
A further 10% returned out of fear of potential impacts on career progression. Many people returned to work shortly after pregnancy loss, while still experiencing physical and/or emotional difficulties. Managing the impact of the loss, workloads, and social interactions were particularly challenging.
Our overall recommendation was that there is a need for dedicated leave from work, as well as workplace policies and supports for those who experience pregnancy loss.
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From RTÉ 2FM's Jennifer Zamparelli on 2FM, clinical midwife specialist in bereavement and loss, Brenda Casey on miscarriages and pregnancy loss
We continually hear that it is time to break the silence around pregnancy loss. But what can we actually do to end this silence, and importantly, what tangible things can we do to better support women and partners? While discussion and debates continue within Government regarding the introduction of statutory leave - which is important to ensure that people can access a minimum duration of leave, regardless of where they work - there is much that we can all do to create more compassionate workplaces for those who experience pregnancy loss.
Within the Pregnancy Loss Research Group, we have created practical resources to help organisations to develop their own policies and procedures in the absence of statutory leave provisions. These include a toolkit which provides practical guidance and templates for employers, managers and HR staff. It also provides guidance for employees on how best to navigate work after experiencing a pregnancy loss, as well as information for workers on how they can support colleagues who experience pregnancy loss.
We have also published a book entitled ‘Words at Work’, a powerful collection of 23 texts, which are all quotations from people who participated in the PLACES project. Their words are incredibly moving and paint a powerful picture of the human experience behind the statistics. ‘Words at Work’ makes it very clear that recognising pregnancy loss as a workplace issue is essential. Our freely available toolkit will help workplaces implement policies and procedures to make that a reality.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, Keelin O'Donoghue, Professor in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, at University College Cork and also Consultant Obstetrician, at Cork University Maternity Hospital chat about the Oireachtas Group on Pregnancy and Infant Loss meeting which highlight improvements in support services
Leading the way for others
During Baby Loss Awareness Week 2025 (9th to 15th October, annually), University College Cork launched the first Pregnancy Loss Support Policy for staff in an Irish university. The policy aims to provide employees with dedicated leave (10 days per calendar year), resources and support they need following a pregnancy loss under 23 weeks. Our toolkit has also been adopted alongside the policy.
The launch of this dedicated policy sends a powerful message of support and compassion to staff. It calls for an end to any stigma or silent suffering following pregnancy loss. It is fantastic to see our own university leading the way for other higher education institutions and other organisations within Ireland, and beyond, to do similar.
Workplaces can help to normalise conversations around pregnancy loss and create compassionate environments, which in turn helps people to feel better supported.
We would like to acknowledge the work of our collaborators on the PLACES project: Ruadh Kelly-Harrington, Dr Sara Leitao, Dr Daniel Nuzum, Dr Caroline Dalton-O'Connor, Prof Mary Donnelly, Dr Claire Murray, Dr Maeve O'Sullivan, Dr Tommy Harty, Dr Caoimhe Ní hÉalaithe and Dr Tamara Escañuela Sánchez . More information on the project is available here.
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Dr Marita Hennessy is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at the INFANT Centre at UCC. She is a former Research Ireland awardee. Tara Woulfe is a Parent Advocate at the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at UCC. Prof Keelin O'Donoghue is a Consultant Obstetrician at Cork University Hospital and Lead at the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at UCC.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ. If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, support information is available online.
