The Duchess Marks Baby Loss Awareness Week with Visit to Tommy's Research Centre

As part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, the Duchess of Cambridge visited the Institute of Reproductive and Development Biology at Imperial College London, which is part of Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research.

Kensington Palace said: "The visit comes during Baby Loss Awareness Week, which aims to provide connection, recognition and commemoration for bereaved parents, in addition to increasing a national understanding of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss. In the UK, it is estimated that one in four pregnancies end in loss during pregnancy or birth. Tommy’s funds pioneering medical research to discover the causes of baby loss and helps women at every stage of their pregnancy journey, supporting them and their partners with expert information and care."

At the centre’s laboratories Kate met with medical experts to hear about their ground-breaking work to understand the science behind baby loss in order to prevent it.

The Duchess was also told about COVID-19 trials that are currently taking place at the research centre, which aim to better understand the risks of the virus to pregnant women and their babies.

To stand in solidarity with bereaved parents, Tommy's are asking people around the world to light a candle or share an image of a candle at 7pm on 15th October. The Wave of Light is planned to honour every life lost too soon. Kate was presented with a special candle to light on Thursday evening.

The charity is particularly mindful of the additional challenges and impacts Covid-19 has had on vital services during an unimaginably painful time. They have shared a number of heartbreaking stories, including Caroline's devastating piece on grieving in isolation.

'When our daughter Hope was stillborn, our world fell apart. People gave us their condolences and sent flowers and cards. Nevertheless, we couldn’t shake the overwhelming sense that we were totally alone in the world. As the first weeks passed us by, the brief moments of connection with close family were our lifelines. The little hug from my mum. The knowing smirk from my sister-in-law when my husband didn’t finish his cup of tea – a long running private joke of ours.

Now those moments have been stolen from us. We’re alone in a house with an empty crib and unused pram. A house that feels too big for just the two of us now. The lockdown is like a physical manifestation of what we were already feeling, and it has somewhat halted our healing journey.

We’re keeping in touch with our close family through video calls. Of course, it’s not the same, but it’s all we’ve got for now. I’ve also started an online bereavement therapy course – I’m trying to make connections and find support networks.

Our ongoing appointments with a bereavement midwife have been changed from face-to-face sessions to phone consultations. While I miss the human interaction, I appreciate this arrangement as I feel very nervous about going to the hospital. 

We’re still awaiting the results from Hope’s post-mortem. I’m feeling very anxious about the consultant appointment we’ll need to discuss the findings. My fear of catching the virus seems to be exacerbating my anxieties further. We’re hoping this can happen over the phone too to help ease this worry.'

Today, Kate spoke to families about the effects of losing a baby and the traumatic impact it's had on their lives. They were joined by representatives from Tommy's and Sands -- another charity which provides support to bereaved parents - to talk about their work amidst the pandemic.

More from the Mail:

'Obiélé Laryea, 37, and her partner Nii-Addy Addy, 40, had two late miscarriages before she went to Tommy’s and found herself under the care of Professor Andrew Shennan at St Thomas’s, who helped the couple to have a son, Tetteh-Kwei, two. Ms Laryea is 17 weeks pregnant once more.

‘Professor Shennan worked his magic again,’ she said. ‘We have yet to see how this pregnancy goes, but it is looking really good.’

She said that when she was pregnant previously, after her first miscarriage, doctors initially refused her request to have a cervical stitch to prevent another one. ‘Let’s wait and see,’ they said. When they finally did, it was too late, she said.

The duchess, she said, was "quite thrown" that she was allowed to have a second miscarriage. ‘You could almost see it in her face, "Are you OK?" I’m fine. I sometimes think to myself, if I hadn’t had the second miscarriage, I would not have heard about Tommy’s,’ she said.'

Dr Clea Harmer, chief executive of Sands and Chair of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, added: “This year during Baby Loss Awareness Week we are highlighting the isolation many people experience after pregnancy and baby loss. In the pandemic, feelings of isolation have become more widespread than ever and many people have begun to talk more openly about grief. Many of those whose baby died during the pandemic will not have been able to spend time making memories or saying goodbye to their baby in the way they would have wanted to. Now more than ever, we can all come together to let those affected by pregnancy and baby loss know they are not alone, and we are all here to support them.”

The Telegraph reports:

'Hearing from one mother, who retained as a midwife after her daughter Alice was stillborn, she said: “It’s so brave of you to be able to talk so openly.

"A lot of the research, a lot of the support for organisations, is being driven by parents who have been through this experience, and want to help others. It is so inspirational.”

Clare Worgan, who now works for the bereavement charity Sands, which funds research into stillbirth, premature birth and miscarriage, told the duchess that she spent three days in the hospital in Manchester after Alice was born in September 2017. “We spent those three days cramming in a lifetime’s worth of memories,” she said. 

“When she was born, she was absolutely perfect. Her birth was literally the best thing that ever happened to me. And also the worst thing that ever happened to me. “When we went home our lives had been turned upside down. We had been devastated. '

A video from the engagement.

The Duchess wore her Emilia Wickstead Kate dress in navy. Readers may recall Kate debuted it last year for a National Emergencies Trust engagement with William.

The Duchess first wore the style in lavender in Germany, and it quickly became one of the most popular items in her wardrobe.

It became so popular, the designer released it in three colours, and aptly named the dress 'Kate'. The £1,420 piece is described: "Emilia Wickstead's wool-crepe Kate dress is an elegantly versatile choice for the social season. It's tailored in the UK with a flattering boat neckline and long darts throughout the front and back of the bodice, then lined with black crepe to ensure a smooth fit."

Today, Kate teamed the dress with a different belt.

Kate accessorised with her Spells of Love Alia hoop earrings.

And it appears Kate wore her Prada pointy toe pumps in navy suede.

The Duchess wore her Amaia Kids facemask in 'blue pepper'.

If you would like to participate in Wave of Light on Thursday, please click here.