Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Woman Says NHS Three-Miscarriage Rule Delayed Care Before Near-Fatal Ectopic

The case underscores calls for earlier miscarriage care through a proposed Tommy’s pilot in England.

Overview

  • Sophie Heath, 28, says a GP told her to keep trying after two miscarriages because routine NHS referral in England often follows three losses.
  • In June 2025, her third pregnancy was ectopic, an embryo growing in a fallopian tube that caused internal bleeding and led to emergency surgery to remove her left tube.
  • She and partner Tom Clee now meet NHS criteria for fertility support but say the trauma means they will not pursue treatment.
  • She has since been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that can disrupt ovulation and make pregnancy more difficult.
  • Tommy’s National Centre at Birmingham Women’s Hospital has proposed a pilot graded model to assess risks after one or two miscarriages, which remains a proposal rather than national policy.