Sarah Owen, the first MP of South East Asian descent and the first female MP of Chinese descent, has achieved a significant victory in her campaign to secure bereavement leave for couples experiencing miscarriage in the UK. The government has now pledged its support for extending bereavement leave to include pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, a direct result of Owen’s tireless advocacy and the Women and Equalities Committee’s findings.
Currently, UK law provides parental bereavement leave only in cases of stillbirth after 24 weeks. Owen and her committee argued that this left a critical gap in support for the estimated 250,000 expectant mothers in the UK who suffer a miscarriage each year.
“The loss of a baby at any stage is an incredibly difficult personal experience,” stated Business Minister Justin Madders, acknowledging the committee’s findings and Owen’s “great bravery” in sharing her own experience with miscarriage.
Owen, who has spoken publicly about her own experience, emphasized that miscarriage is a bereavement, not an illness. She and her committee proposed amendments to the Employment Rights Bill to ensure parents bereaved by pregnancy loss are entitled to two weeks of leave.
“We fully accept the principle of bereavement leave for pregnancy loss,” Madders confirmed, indicating the government’s intention to work with Owen and other members of parliament to implement the change.
The proposed change would bring UK law in line with a growing recognition that pregnancy loss at any stage can have a profound impact on individuals and families. The Women and Equalities Committee’s report highlighted the sheer scale of the issue, with a significant number of pregnancies ending before 24 weeks.
Owen’s advocacy has been widely praised by organizations like the Miscarriage Association, who see the government’s commitment as a “significant step forward” in validating the experience of pregnancy loss.
“This change means that the law will finally catch up with society’s views on pregnancy loss,” Owen stated, emphasizing the importance of recognizing miscarriage as a bereavement.
While the government has yet to commit to statutory paid leave, the move to extend unpaid bereavement leave is seen as a crucial first step. Owen and her committee continue to push for further improvements to support those affected by pregnancy loss, demonstrating her commitment to representing the diverse needs of the UK population.
