We're now researching whether a new treatment can correct the imbalance in vaginal bacteria and reduce the chance of miscarriage.

Data has shown that giving a pessary containing the right bacteria does increase the amount of that bacteria in the vagina, so this could be a strategy to prevent miscarriage.

If we can better understand the relationship between the vaginal microbiome and the risk of miscarriage, we can develop bed side tests which could help identify women and birthing people who are more vulnerable to these imbalances much sooner. They can then benefit from treatments that aren't possible later in pregnancy.

Our team are working on a quick bedside test for the vaginal microbiome and hope this will be a huge step forward in understand and preventing miscarriage.

1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss and many parents never find out why. Around half of early miscarriages happen because of chromosomal abnormalities in the baby, but in the rest, something else must be going on. Our researchers want to understand how the environment in the vagina might be leading to miscarriage.

The vaginal microbiome is the environment of micro-organisms that live inside the vagina.

In a healthy vagina, there is a large amount of a particular bacteria.

Our researchers have found that a vaginal environment with a low amount of this bacteria is connected to increased inflammation and a higher risk of miscarriage.

We're now researching whether a new treatment can correct the imbalance in vaginal bacteria and reduce the chance of miscarriage.

Data has shown that giving a pessary containing the right bacteria does increase the amount of that bacteria in the vagina, so this could be a strategy to prevent miscarriage.

If we can better understand the relationship between the vaginal microbiome and the risk of miscarriage, we can develop bed side tests which could help identify women and birthing people who are more vulnerable to these imbalances much sooner. They can then benefit from treatments that aren't possible later in pregnancy.

Our team are working on a quick bedside test for the vaginal microbiome and hope this will be a huge step forward in understand and preventing miscarriage.

Our researchers think that a combination of drugs that reduce inflammation and drugs that reduce blood clots should be given as standard to all women and birthing people with a history of CHI.

These recommendations are being used to create new CHI clinical guidelines, and our researchers often advise clinicians across the country on the best way to treat their patients with CHI.

Our researchers are also trying to reduce the variation in diagnosis of CHI by using software that can more accurately identify changes in the placenta caused by it. This will also help them find out which treatments are most effective.

CHI is a rare condition in which the immune system reacts abnormally during pregnancy, damaging the placenta. This can cause inflammation and blood clots in the placenta, and prevent the baby from growing properly. In severe cases, it can potentially lead to stillbirth or miscarriage.

In women with a history of CHI, research has shown that treatment with drugs that reduce inflammation made CHI less severe and live birth 25% more likely, compared with just using drugs that reduce blood clotting or no treatment at all.

Our researchers think that a combination of drugs that reduce inflammation and drugs that reduce blood clots should be given as standard to all women and birthing people with a history of CHI.

These recommendations are being used to create new CHI clinical guidelines, and our researchers often advise clinicians across the country on the best way to treat their patients with CHI.

Our researchers are also trying to reduce the variation in diagnosis of CHI by using software that can more accurately identify changes in the placenta caused by it. This will also help them find out which treatments are most effective.

The Women's Health Strategy was published in summer 2022 and fell short of the Government's pledges.

We're now working tirelessly to hold the Government to account on their promises and to make sure good miscarriage care is available to all.

With your support, these recommendations will soon become standard practice across the UK.

1. Support should be available after every miscarriage, not just after 3.

2. Mental health support should be available after each loss.

3. An end to the postcode lottery: tests and treatments must be standardised across the UK.

4. Higher risk women must get better care from the start.

5. All miscarriages must be recorded, so we understand the scale of the problem.

Over 6700 people emailed their MP/MSP to demand action

Over 250,000 people have signed our petition

Olivia Blake MP raised our petition in parliament.

In response, the Health Minister announced our recommendations would be put forward for inclusion in the Women's Health Strategy

The Women's Health Strategy was published in summer 2022 and fell short of the Government's pledges.

We're now working tirelessly to hold the Government to account on their promises and to make sure good miscarriage care is available to all.

With your support, these recommendations will soon become standard practice across the UK.