Miscarriage is the most common pregnancy complication, with approximately 1 in 5 women experiencing at least one miscarriage during their reproductive lifetime. To drive progress in miscarriage prevention and care, Tommy’s established the UK’s first national centre dedicated to miscarriage research.
Tommy’s and the new partnership
The Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research, established in 2016, has played a leading role in advancing understanding of why miscarriages happen and how they can be prevented. Bringing together experts from across the UK, the centre has helped drive improvements in research, care and support for women, birthing people and families affected by pregnancy loss.
Tommy’s mission strongly aligns with our departmental vision of a world in which everyone has access to high-quality, evidence-based women’s and reproductive healthcare.
As a nationally recognised charity with a powerful public and media presence, the partnership will also help elevate awareness and visibility of the outstanding research taking place across the Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health.
Tommy’s key milestones
Among the centre’s key achievements is the landmark PRISM trial, led through the National Centre for Miscarriage Research, which demonstrated that progesterone treatment for women with early pregnancy bleeding and a history of miscarriage could prevent up to 8,540 miscarriages annually in the UK. The findings informed updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommending progesterone treatment, helping ensure that more families can benefit from evidence-based care.
Researchers across the centre also contributed to the Miscarriage Matters series, published in The Lancet in 2021, which highlighted the significant physical and psychological impact of miscarriage and set out recommendations to improve treatment and care following pregnancy loss. This work helped shape national conversations around miscarriage care and informed recommendations within the UK Pregnancy Loss Review published in 2023.
Most recently, Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care report, led by Professor Arri Coomarasamy was published - showing the potential to prevent more than 10,000 miscarriages annually across the UK if the model could be implemented nationally.
Researchers and partners across the National Centre for Miscarriage Research continue to work with government, clinicians and policymakers to improve access to high-quality miscarriage care for all those affected by pregnancy loss.
Looking to the future
The centre will be led by Professor Arri Coomarasamy as Director, alongside Professor Adam Devall as Deputy Director and Dr Pedro Melo, Clinical Lead from the Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will also join as the lead clinical partner alongside the department, enhancing the current provision of miscarriage care at the Trust’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit at Rose Hill.
Every miscarriage represents not just a clinical event, but a deeply personal loss felt by individuals and families. Welcoming the University of Oxford as the lead partner in the National Centre for Miscarriage Research strengthens our shared commitment to change that reality. We will turn the evidence and insights from our world-class research into new tests and treatments to benefit women and couples. By combining our expertise, we will further expand our understanding of why miscarriages happen and how we can prevent them. Our ambition is clear: to translate research into real improvements in care.
– Professor Arri Coomarasamy
We are delighted to welcome the University of Oxford into a partnership that has already made real progress in improving understanding of miscarriage, reducing its risk, and raising awareness of its devastating impact. In the decade since we launched Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, thousands of families have been spared the trauma of pregnancy loss thanks to a trial at the Tommy’s centre which found progesterone could help prevent miscarriage in some cases. But far too many people are still living with the grief and unanswered questions that follow a miscarriage. For some families, the heartbreak feels never-ending as they experience repeated losses. Expanding and strengthening our National Centre for Miscarriage Research with our new partners at the University of Oxford will help us make sure more parents are spared this pain.
– Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive of Tommy’s
We very much look forward to welcoming the Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research. Together, we will continue to drive forward scientific understanding and innovation in women’s and reproductive health to improve lives across the world.
– Professor Krina Zondervan, Head of Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford
Any additional support and research into miscarriage will always be welcomed. Expanding our services to further support those affected by miscarriage is a fantastic development, and we look forward to working in partnership with everyone involved.
– Dr Pedro Melo, Clinical Lead at the NDWRH and OUH
further information
New model of care could prevent more than 10,000 miscarriages a year