This is the third edition of our “featured chart”, where we take a closer look at some of the insights of our data hub. Miscarriage data are not routinely collected or reported across the four nations. While some data are available, these are limited to hospital settings which does not reflect the true prevalence of miscarriage.  

The chart illustrates the estimated number of miscarriages in England in 2024-25 compared with the number recorded in Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). These estimates draw on the 2021 Lancet systematic review which reports a pooled miscarriage risk of 15.3% (with a 95% confidence interval ranging between 12.5% to 18.7%).  

The true risk of miscarriage is likely higher than the pooled estimate, as many of the underlying studies only include data on ‘miscarriages resulting in a hospital stay, excluding those managed at home, through primary care, or before pregnancy was recognised. 

In 2024-25, HES reported 35,074 miscarriages that occurred in hospital settings. Applying the pooled risk of 15.3% to total pregnancies suggests there may have been around 97,984 miscarriages in total. Because the rate in the Lancet review could range between 12.5% and 18.7%, the true number could fall between 80,023 and 119,714 with 95% confidence. The estimated total of miscarriages is considerably higher than the number captured in hospital data alone.   

 

The chart highlights how existing data significantly understates the number of miscarriages which occur. A large proportion of miscarriages are managed at home, through primary care or are experienced by women and birthing people unaware of their pregnancy. As a result, routine hospital data provide only a partial and fragmented picture.  

To address this, we have called for improved recording through routes that extend beyond hospital settings. This includes incorporating miscarriage questions into population‑level surveys, such as the Health Survey for England and the 2031 Census, enabling people to disclose experiences that are not captured in clinical records, alongside more consistent coding and use of emerging digital maternity records across all settings.  

 

There is also the opportunity to integrate miscarriage data across all health care settings in England through the introduction of Single Patient Records (SPRs), announced in the NHS 10 Year Plan. 

Better recording of miscarriage could also improve patient experience and personalised care by ensuring all healthcare providers are aware of individuals’ miscarriage history. 

Without better recording, miscarriage will remain largely invisible in official statistics, undermining efforts to track trends, identify inequalities, evaluate the impact of policy and service changes, and plan appropriate clinical and bereavement support. More comprehensive, routine data are essential to ensure miscarriage is properly recognised in research, service planning and policy decision‑making.  

At the Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit we have recently published an updated miscarriage briefing focussing on the latest opportunities to improve data collection across the four nations.  

 

Links: 

Interactive featured chart on our data hub