The taboo of miscarriage

What do Britons think about it?

Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markel’s recent disclosure about her miscarriage has again put the spotlight on this issue that has long been considered a taboo. This report brings insights into the opinions of Britons and their need to change the status quo. Policymakers, as well as NGO’s, can leverage this data in their decision making.

The world is increasingly becoming health-obsessed, yet, ironically, core health issues like miscarriage continue to be seen as a stigma even today. Despite the considerable physical and mental toll of a miscarriage, women are rarely encouraged to reveal that they have had one, let alone expect a robust support system. Amid all the long-drawn-out hush-hush, what have Britons come to think about this issue today? Piplsay polled 6,041 Britons nationwide to get some insights. Here is a summary of what we found:

Other Insights

• 54% of women and 45% of men strongly object to miscarriage being seen as a taboo even today
• 47% of Gen Xers believe miscarriage should be treated as a personal issue as compared to 27% of Millennials and 26% of Gen Zers
• 53% of women believe there should be a public discourse around the issue of miscarriage as compared to 47% of men

Survey Methodology: This Piplsay survey (powered by Market Cube) was conducted nationwide in the UK from December 19-21, 2020. We received 6,041 online responses from individuals aged 18 years and older.