Pregnancy loss does not happen neatly outside working hours. It happens alongside meetings, inboxes, and deadlines, often in silence.
For many people, returning to work after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal loss can feel confusing, overwhelming, and deeply isolating.
This piece is about what support can look like at work after pregnancy loss. It covers your rights in the UK, how and whether to tell your employer, what can come up when you return, and how to navigate work while you are grieving and recovering.
Understanding pregnancy loss in the workplace
Pregnancy loss includes a range of experiences - miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, stillbirth, neonatal loss and others (please see the Glossary at the end of this post for defintions). It can involve physical recovery, ongoing medical care, trauma, and grief, often at the same time.
Despite this, many people feel pressure to return quickly and carry on as normal (particularly after losses earlier in pregnancy). Workplaces often underestimate the impact, especially when the loss is invisible to others.
Recognising pregnancy loss as a legitimate workplace issue, rather than a private matter to be managed quietly, is an important starting point. Every single experience of pregnancy loss is different, and each person will be holding and navigating a unique set of circumstances. It is essential not to make any assumptions.
Your workplace rights in the UK
Your legal rights depend on the type and timing of the loss (and there have been important changes in recent years).
A snapshot of your rights following a loss:
- You are entitled to take bereavement leave following pregnancy loss, including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancy
- This is a day one right, meaning it applies regardless of length of service
- The leave is protected, so you should not be treated unfairly for taking it
- Whether this leave is paid depends on your employer’s policy. Many organisations are updating their handbooks, but practice may lag behind legislation. It is reasonable to ask HR what applies in your organisation.
Bereavement leave and new legal developments
Historically, statutory bereavement leave in the UK only applied after stillbirth at 24 weeks or later, or the death of a child under 18. This meant that people who experienced miscarriage earlier than 24 weeks in pregnancy had no automatic legal right to bereavement leave.
New legislation has changed this. Pregnancy loss before 24 weeks is now formally recognised within bereavement leave law. This introduces a legal right to protected bereavement leave for people who experience pregnancy loss at any stage
Sick leave and pregnancy related absence
If you are physically unwell following pregnancy loss, for example due to pain, bleeding, surgery or medical follow up, you can take sick leave in the usual way.
Pregnancy related illness is protected under the Equality Act 2010. This means sickness absence connected to pregnancy or pregnancy loss should not be treated in the same way as ordinary sickness absence for performance or disciplinary purposes.
Protection from discrimination
Pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions are protected characteristics under the Equality Act. If you are treated unfairly because of pregnancy loss, related sickness absence, or your need for time off, this may amount to discrimination.
Telling your manager or HR
There is no right way to tell your employer about a pregnancy loss. Some people want understanding and flexibility. Others want privacy and clear boundaries. Both are valid.
You are not required to share detailed or personal information. A simple statement such as, “I have experienced a pregnancy loss and need some time and flexibility” is enough.
You may find it helpful to:
- Ask HR to hold the information confidentially and share it only where necessary
- Put things in writing rather than speaking face to face
- Request a single point of contact so you are not repeatedly explaining yourself
- You are allowed to change your mind later about what you share and with whom.
Relationships with managers and HR are often subjective. People’s experiences can depend heavily on the strength of those relationships, which is not always fair or consistent across an organisation.
If it would help, make sure you document your understanding of any agreements in writing. This could be a follow-up email summarising what was discussed, what was agreed, and any timelines or next steps.
It can also be helpful to ensure that at least one other trusted colleague or senior leader is aware of what has been agreed. Where appropriate, you might copy them into written correspondence, ask for notes from meetings to be formally shared, or keep your own dated record of conversations and decisions.
What paperwork might HR ask for after a loss
What HR can ask for varies by employer and situation, but common requests include:
Death certificate
Some employers will accept a copy or confirmation rather than the original. Not all employers require this, but many do for formal bereavement leave records.
Doctor’s note or fit note (GP or hospital)
This may be requested if you are taking sickness absence related to physical recovery, mental health, or pregnancy-related complications. A fit note can state that you are not fit for work, or that you may be fit for work with adjustments.
Hospital letter or discharge summary
Sometimes used instead of a GP note, particularly after miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons, or other pregnancy-related hospital care.
Self-certification form
For short periods of sickness absence, usually up to 7 calendar days, employers may accept self-certification without medical evidence.
Maternity or pregnancy-related documentation
In pregnancy loss later in pregnancy, HR may ask for MATB1 or hospital confirmation to determine eligibility for maternity leave, maternity pay, or bereavement leave.
It is worth knowing that employers should only ask for evidence that is reasonable and proportionate. You are not required to share detailed medical information beyond what is necessary to support leave or adjustments.
Navigating pregnancy loss can be a difficult and overwhelming process, many people do not feel able to focus on paperwork during this time. You are allowed to ask for support without having everything neatly documented or fully processed. If you are unsure what evidence you have or feel uncomfortable being asked for certain paperwork, it is reasonable to ask HR to explain why it is needed and whether alternatives can be accepted.
Flexible working and adjustments
Many people need temporary changes to how they work after pregnancy loss. This might include shorter days, remote working, reduced workload, or flexibility around appointments.
There are two ways to approach this.
Informal flexibility
An informal request is simply a conversation with your manager about what you need. This can work well for short term or temporary adjustments. There is no formal legal process, but many employers are open to this approach.
Formal flexible working requests
You also have a legal right to make a formal flexible working request from day one of employment. A formal request must be made in writing and should explain:
- What change you are requesting
- When you would like it to start
- How it might affect work and how this could be managed
Your employer must consider the request and respond within a set timeframe. They can only refuse for specific business reasons.
Some people choose to start with an informal conversation and move to a formal request if needed. Others prefer the clarity and protection of the formal route. Both are legitimate, think aboutb what would work best for you.
When to ask for Occupational Health
You can ask for an Occupational Health referral at any point, and you do not need to wait until you are struggling or off sick.
It can be helpful to request Occupational Health:
• If you are returning to work after a loss and want adjustments in place from the start
• If grief, trauma, or mental health symptoms are affecting your ability to work
• If you need temporary or longer-term adjustments such as reduced hours, phased return, flexible working, or changes to workload
• If there is disagreement or uncertainty between you and your manager or HR about what support is reasonable
• If you want medical advice to be formally recorded and translated into workplace recommendations
Occupational Health is there to advise the employer, not to assess your performance. Their role is to recommend adjustments that support your health and ability to work.
The reality of returning to work
Returning to work after pregnancy loss is often described as “getting back to normal”, but for many people there is nothing normal about it. You may still be recovering physically, carrying grief quietly, or trying to hold yourself together in spaces that are not built for loss. Even when colleagues mean well, work can feel exposing, demanding, or simply too much. If returning feels harder than you expected, you are not alone.
Common challenges include:
- Physical fatigue or ongoing pain
- Difficulty concentrating or processing information
- Emotional triggers such as pregnancy announcements or baby related conversations
- Pressure to perform or appear “back to normal”
- Worry about how time off will be perceived
None of this means you are failing. It reflects the reality of grief and recovery. Each person responds in their own way; for some, work may be a welcome distraction. For others, work may feel overwhelming for some time. There is no right way to griev a loss, or to return to work after one.
Navigating work after loss
Supportive steps that can help include:
- Requesting temporary adjustments rather than permanent changes
- Agreeing regular check ins focused on support, not performance
- Being clear about boundaries with colleagues
- Allowing yourself time without setting a deadline for recovery
- You do not need to justify your grief by how far along you were. Loss is loss, and your experience deserves care and respect.
There is no fixed timeline for grief, and no correct way to carry loss into the workplace. What you need may change over time, and it may look different from what others expect or understand. You deserve care, flexibility, and dignity, whether your loss was recent or years ago. Going back to work is not a test of strength or resilience. It is simply another step in learning how to live alongside what has happened, at your own pace.
Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Employment rights and workplace policies can vary, so you may wish to seek advice from HR, a union representative, ACAS, or a qualified legal professional based on your individual circumstances.
Glossary of terms
Pregnancy loss terms
Ectopic pregnancy
A pregnancy that develops outside the uterus, most commonly in a fallopian tube. This is a medical emergency and always results in pregnancy loss.
Miscarriage
The loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks. Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester, but they can happen later.
Molar pregnancy
A rare condition where a pregnancy does not develop normally due to abnormal tissue growth in the uterus.
Neonatal death
The death of a baby within the first 28 days after birth.
Pregnancy loss
An umbrella term that includes miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, stillbirth, and neonatal death.
Pregnancy related illness
Physical or mental health conditions linked to pregnancy or pregnancy loss, including pain, bleeding, complications, trauma, anxiety, or depression.
Stillbirth
The loss of a baby at or after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Workplace and employment terms
Bereavement leave
Time off work following a death or pregnancy loss. In the UK, bereavement leave following pregnancy loss is now a legal right, with pay depending on employer policy.
Flexible working
Changes to working patterns such as hours, location, or days worked.
Formal flexible working request
A statutory request made in writing under UK law. Employers must consider the request and respond within a set timeframe.
Informal flexible working request
A non statutory request made through a conversation with your manager, usually for temporary or short term adjustments.
Protected characteristic
A personal characteristic protected under the Equality Act 2010, including pregnancy and maternity. Unfair treatment related to a protected characteristic may be unlawful discrimination.
Reasonable adjustments
Changes made to remove barriers at work. These are legally required in some circumstances and may also be offered as a supportive measure following pregnancy loss.
Sick leave
Time off work due to illness or recovery. Pregnancy related illness is protected under equality law.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
The minimum sick pay some employees are entitled to if they meet eligibility criteria.