Pregnancy loss is common. Workplace support should be too.
One year after the launch of the Pregnancy Loss & the Workplace Toolkit, employers are putting the research into practice. This Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October), we are encouraging more organisations to do the same.
Pregnancy loss affects approximately one in four pregnancies in Ireland, yet many people experiencing loss have historically had to navigate its physical and emotional impact without dedicated workplace leave or support.
In October 2025, the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork launched the Pregnancy Loss & the Workplace Toolkit to help change that.
Developed from research into people’s experiences of pregnancy loss at work, the free toolkit gives employers practical guidance to put meaningful supports in place, including a template workplace policy, guidance for managers and information for employees.
One year later, organisations are demonstrating just how quickly that research can translate into change.
From livid experience to change within a month
For Cork mother Diane Magee, the need for better workplace support is deeply personal.
Diane has experienced pregnancy loss at different stages of pregnancy, alongside IVF treatment and the complex journey of trying to conceive again after loss.
“Pregnancy loss can bring grief and physical recovery, but there can also be enormous emotional, financial and relationship pressures,” Diane said.
“Having a supportive workplace and knowing there is a policy there if you need it can take a huge weight off someone at an incredibly difficult time.”
Diane contributed her lived experience to the development of the Pregnancy Loss & the Workplace Toolkit because she wanted workplaces to better recognise pregnancy loss as a genuine loss, and give people the time, understanding and support they may need.
After the toolkit was launched, Diane brought it to her own employer, Marymount University Hospital and Hospice.
In less than a month, Marymount had introduced dedicated pregnancy loss leave.
Christine O’Riordan, Staff Support and Wellbeing Officer at Marymount, said having practical guidance and policy language available through the toolkit made it straightforward for the organisation to act.
“When someone is going through pregnancy loss, there is so much they are already trying to process. If we can take just one worry off their plate by making sure they don’t have to worry about work, that can make a world of difference. For us, putting that support in place was a relatively simple step, but it can mean so much to the person who needs it.”
Employees have since used the leave – something Christine describes as an “absolute success”.
Turning guidance into practical support
Marymount isn’t alone. Gas Networks Ireland has also used the toolkit to help develop its own pregnancy loss policy.
The organisation introduced dedicated leave, guidance for managers and different ways for employees to access support. The policy recognises fathers and partners too, while mandatory training helps managers understand how to respond sensitively when an employee experiences pregnancy loss.
Employees are now using the leave, feedback has been positive and other organisations have approached Gas Networks Ireland to learn from its experience.
For Nicola McSweeney, Director of People at Gas Networks Ireland, putting these supports in place is a simple but important part of creating a workplace where employees know they will be supported when difficult things happen.
“There really is no downside to putting these supports in place. People will experience difficult things in their lives, and as an employer we want them to know that when they do, they will be supported. A clear policy also gives managers confidence – they don’t need to have all the answers; they need to listen and know what support is available.”
Could your workplace be next?
For Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, who leads the Pregnancy Loss Research Group and is Clinical Lead for Obstetric Research at INFANT Research Centre, the experience of Marymount and Gas Networks Ireland demonstrates what employers can do now.
“Supporting people through pregnancy loss in the workplace goes beyond an entitlement to time off. Clear policies, informed and supported managers, and a compassionate workplace culture can make an enormous difference to someone’s experience.”
While pregnancy loss leave is also moving up the national policy agenda, with the Government approving the drafting of legislation earlier this year, employers do not need to wait for statutory change to put meaningful supports in place.
This Baby Loss Awareness Week, we are encouraging employers to take a simple first step:
Download the toolkit. Share it with your HR team or leadership. Ask what your organisation can put in place.
The resources are free, practical and designed so organisations do not have to start from scratch.
Pregnancy loss is common. Workplace support should be too.