Key Summary
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is the first health board in the UK to fully roll out miscarriage cradle to improve patient dignity.
- The device allows women to manage a miscarriage at home respectfully, fitting beneath a toilet seat to collect pregnancy tissue safely.
- By preserving tissue without the need for surgery, the cradle helps NHS laboratories conduct genetic testing to potentially identify the cause of the loss.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is set to become the first health board in the UK to fully roll out an innovative medical device intended to provide "greater care and dignity" to those experiencing miscarriage.
The rollout, beginning this year, will see women in the board’s hospitals offered a miscarriage collection cradle, providing a respectful way to manage their loss at home or in a hospital setting.
It was designed by a team at Dignity Care, whose founder Laura Corcoran said she was inspired to create it after experiencing miscarriage.
The former NHS engineer said: "When I experienced miscarriage at home, I faced an incredibly difficult situation without the right support.
"That deeply personal experience led me to design something that could help others navigate the practical and emotional challenges with greater care and dignity."
The device, which is designed to fit beneath a toilet seat, provides an alternative to surgery and helps preserve pregnancy tissue for genetic testing, which could offer insights into the cause of the miscarriage. It can be used at home or in hospital.
The device also serves a critical clinical purpose by reducing contamination and preserving pregnancy tissue.
Dignity Care is currently working with NHS laboratories to assess whether this method improves the quality of genetic samples compared to those obtained through surgery.
If successful, it could significantly increase the success rate of testing, helping families gain much-needed insight into the causes of their miscarriage.
