Federal budget 2024: $9.5m for miscarriage support, education, data

The federal government has announced more money for counselling and bereavement support services for families experiencing the tragic loss.

Women who have suffered from the trauma of miscarriage will receive better support under a $9.5m federal investment.

The Australian-first package includes $5.5m in grants for counselling and bereavement support services, as well as $1.5m for education and awareness for people and health professionals supporting families affected by the loss.

The funding in Tuesday’s federal budget comes after the Herald Sun revealed miscarriage was set to become a priority health issue for the Albanese government.

“Having a miscarriage can be one of the darkest and most traumatising moments of a woman’s life,” Assistant Minister Ged Kearney said.

Assistant Minister for Health Ged Kearney. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“It compounds the tragedy if she does not receive empathetic care, or is isolated and lonely as she processes this loss.

“This $9.5m investment will go a long way to supporting women who have experienced miscarriage, now and into the future.”

Up to 110,000 women are estimated to experience a pregnancy loss before 20 weeks every year.

Miscarriage can have a lasting toll on women’s physical and mental health, leading to higher incidence of post-partum anxiety if they go on to have a baby.

Ms Kearney said there was often a lack of answers around multiple miscarriages and Australia needed to build a bigger picture of this often “hidden medical tragedy”.

“It’s time we listen. It’s time we act. It’s time we shine a spotlight on miscarriage,” the former nurse said.

At least $1m will be invested in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for a scoping study for a national miscarriage data collection, with $1.5m committed for a national audit of Early Pregnancy Assessment Service (EPAS) clinics.

The audit of the clinics, which provide medical care for people in their first trimester and those having a miscarriage, aims to improve access to appropriate local services for treatment and follow-up care.

Women are often told to get over miscarriages.

Pink Elephants Support Network CEO Samantha Payne, which provides resources for people affected by early pregnancy loss, thanked the government for working with them to help shift the narrative around miscarriage and improve women’s health outcomes.

“These targeted funds for frontline services, will allow more women to access early intervention support, going a long way to reducing the shame, stigma, grief and poor mental health outcomes that many women experience after a miscarriage,” Ms Payne said.

Victorian mother Kim Peters experienced five losses in three years and said there was a lack of care and support in the public system.

“It was such a lonely time,” Ms Peters said.

“The system is letting so many people down. At no point through any of it was I offered any counselling.”

Ms Peters believes not dealing with the trauma from the losses contributed to her having post-natal depression after she gave birth to her son in 2014.

“I’m really excited about this money and hopefully it means other people won’t have to go through what I went through,” she said.