Early pregnancy endings and the workplace knowledge exchange

The Early Pregnancy Endings and the Workplace research project focuses on how women navigate the demands of work at the same time as experiencing the physical, emotional and practical realities of termination or miscarriage (including ectopic and molar pregnancies) in pregnancy, up to 24 weeks. These are both very common experiences and yet there is very little academic research in the area. Equally, while there are the beginnings of workplace support for these experiences, including leave for pregnancy endings offered by local government like the City of Portland in the US and national-level miscarriage leave entitlements recently legalised in New Zealand, these are at an extremely early stage. Termination, except where it takes place because of foetal anomaly, is largely absent from these initiatives.

As a project team, we have conducted a survey and interviews to address the following themes:

• What are the lived experiences of early pregnancy endings in the workplace before 24 weeks gestation?
• To what extent and how do women disclose early pregnancy endings at work?
• What are the factors that discourage women from disclosing at work?
• How do employers respond to early pregnancy endings?
• What are women’s experiences of workplace support after early pregnancy endings?

This knowledge exchange event will summarise our key findings and best practice principles for organisational support for staff who are affected by early pregnancy endings. Attendees will be able to ask the team any questions that they have. They will also be given the opportunity to read and comment on our research report before it is finalised.

Register here

Who should attend

The event will be useful for line managers, HR professionals and trade union representatives, as well as anyone who has been affected by an early pregnancy ending whilst in employment. Researchers in the relevant subject areas will also find it interesting. 

The Early pregnancy endings and the workplace research project is part of The Open University's (OU) Open Societal Challenges programme.

The OU’s Open Societal Challenges Programme aims to tackle some of the most important societal challenges of our time through impact-driven research.

The Programme’s focus on the themes of Tackling Inequalities, Living Well and Sustainability aligns well with the OU’s mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas.  

The Programme’s aim is to apply excellent research by OU academics to some of the most pressing challenges facing people across the UK and worldwide to transform lives and drive societal change.