Talking about baby loss and fertility can be difficult, but it is a reality that many employees face. From fertility treatment and infertility to miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal loss, the impact can be profound, long-lasting, and often invisible to others.
Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026 (9-15 October) provides an important opportunity for employers to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and ensure employees feel supported during some of the most challenging experiences of their lives.
Understanding Baby Loss
Baby loss can include:
- Fertility complications and infertility
- Miscarriage, including ectopic and molar pregnancies
- Pregnancy loss following fertility treatment
- Termination of pregnancy due to foetal anomaly
- Loss of one or more babies in a multiple pregnancy
- Stillbirth
- Neonatal death
- Sudden and unexpected infant death
- Accidental infant death
The scale of pregnancy and baby loss in the UK is significant:
- Around 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage
- Approximately 5,000 pregnancies each year are terminated due to severe foetal anomaly
- Around 1 in 150 babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth
- Thousands of families experience baby loss every year
- Approximately 1 in 7 couples experience fertility difficulties
Source: Sands, Tommy’s, Fertility Network UK
It is likely that someone within your workforce has been affected by baby loss, fertility challenges or both. Every person’s experience is unique and may be influenced by:
- The nature and timing of the loss
- Physical and mental health before and after the event
- Individual coping mechanisms
- Family circumstances and support networks
- Religious, spiritual, or personal beliefs
- Previous experiences of pregnancy or loss
The Impact on Employees
The effects of baby loss can be emotional, physical and practical. Employees may experience:
- Grief, shock and trauma
- Anxiety, depression or reduced confidence
- Sleep difficulties and fatigue
- Physical recovery following pregnancy loss or birth
- Ongoing medical treatment or investigations
- Fertility treatment appointments
- Difficulty concentrating at work
- Triggers linked to babies, children, due dates or anniversaries
- Relationship pressures
- Challenges communicating with colleagues and customers
The impact can affect both the individual directly experiencing the loss and their partner, regardless of gender.
Legal Considerations
Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay
Under the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Act 2018 (Jack’s Law), eligible employees are entitled to:
- Up to two weeks’ Parental Bereavement Leave following the death of a child under the age of 18
- Up to two weeks’ leave following a stillbirth occurring after 24 weeks of pregnancy
- Day-one entitlement to the leave itself
- Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay where qualifying criteria are met
Pregnancy Loss Before 24 Weeks
Historically, there has been no specific statutory entitlement to leave for miscarriage before 24 weeks. However, employers should consider:
- Sickness absence where recovery is required
- Compassionate or bereavement leave
- Annual leave if requested by the employee
- Flexible working arrangements
- Temporary adjustments to duties or workload
Employers should also be mindful that complications arising from pregnancy loss may amount to a disability in some circumstances under the Equality Act 2010, depending on the individual’s condition and its impact.
How Employers Can Provide Meaningful Support
Not every organisation can offer enhanced paid leave, but all employers can show compassion and understanding.
Consider:
- Flexible working arrangements
- Additional paid or unpaid compassionate leave
- Temporary adjustment of duties and workloads
- Time off for counselling, medical appointments or fertility treatment
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) support where available
- Signposting to organisations such as Sands, Tommy’s and Fertility Network UK
- A phased return to work following significant loss
- Private welfare meetings with managers
- Training line managers on sensitive conversations
- Allowing employees control over who is informed and what information is shared
Supporting Managers
Managers often worry about saying the wrong thing, but avoiding the conversation can leave employees feeling isolated.
Managers should:
- Listen without judgement
- Avoid assumptions about how someone is coping
- Ask what support would be helpful
- Respect confidentiality
- Review support needs regularly
- Be mindful of anniversaries, due dates and other potentially difficult dates
- Focus on empathy rather than finding solutions
Simple acknowledgement and compassion can make a significant difference.
Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026
Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place from 9-15 October 2026.
The week provides an opportunity to:
- Raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss
- Reduce stigma surrounding grief and infertility
- Share available wellbeing support
- Educate managers on compassionate workplace practices
- Review organisational policies and support arrangements
- Create an inclusive culture where employees feel safe talking about difficult experiences
Employers may wish to mark the week through internal communications, wellbeing initiatives, manager briefings, or by sharing information about specialist support organisations.
Creating a Culture of Compassion
Baby loss and fertility struggles touch more lives than many people realise. Employees should never feel they have to suffer in silence or choose between their wellbeing and their work.
A supportive workplace is not simply about having the right policies in place. It is about creating a culture where people feel listened to, respected and supported during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. By promoting awareness, equipping managers with confidence, and responding with empathy, employers can make a meaningful difference when it matters most.