One in four pregnancies end in loss, yet most UK workplaces offer no support – Dr Amy Pressland

Speaking at the CIPD Conference 2024 in Manchester, Dr Amy Pressland, talent development manager at Benenden Health, highlighted the lack of workplace support for employees experiencing pregnancy loss.

Pressland revealed that 24% of employees had considered leaving their job due to poor treatment following pregnancy loss.

Pressland said: “This isn’t just a health issue; it’s a workplace equality issue.”

The talk outlined other critical health issues affecting women at work, including endometriosis, which affects one in 10 women but takes an average of seven years to diagnose.

Around 70% of women reported that managing their periods at work made their jobs more difficult, while 64% of menopausal women faced similar struggles.

Pregnancy also posed significant challenges, with 62% of women finding it difficult to balance work and health, and nearly half (48%) felt pressured to hide their pregnancies to avoid discrimination or negative consequences at work.

Fertility treatment, frequently treated as a ‘lifestyle choice’ rather than a medical necessity, meant that 35% of women forced to use annual or sick leave to manage the physical and emotional toll.

38% of these women had considered leaving their jobs because of the stress and lack of workplace support.