Reasoning for miscarriages still a mystery to Swaffham couple

Hospital staff are investigating why a Swaffham woman suffered recurrent miscarriages from April 2018 in what has been a challenging time for a couple.

Phillippa Shine, 34, and her husband Kiernan, 35, were expecting their first child before going through the trauma of two missed (or silent) miscarriages and three miscarriages.

The St Martha’s Catholic Primary School worker’s most recent miscarriage was a few months ago, and she was transferred to Adenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge to investigate the reason for them.

Mrs Shine said: “I am still going through the process with lots of tests and investigations. It can be genetic issues which cause miscarriages but unfortunately there have not been any clues as to why it keeps happening yet.

“In some ways it would be a relief to find out the reason but there are mixed emotions because you could be told there is a genetic reason for why you can’t have children. The whole experience is fraught with a lot of anxiety.”

Mrs Shine, who moved to the area from Essex six-years-ago, has bravely spoken about passing out in the early hours of the morning in August 2018 due to her second miscarriage.

“It was very frightening at 3am as you do not know who to call at that time,” she said. “You just want some advice and help.”

Regarding her continued hopes for her first child, Mrs Shine added: “We will continue going down this avenue with the next appointment hopefully shedding more light.

“We are staying positive and talking to doctors.”

Her husband is in the RAF and she attender her first Whispers from Wings bereavement support group meeting in Lynn in April

Mrs Shine was in the Appleton Unit at Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital for the first three miscarriages, and described the staff as being “incredibly supportive and fantastic”.

And she has also backed plans for a new Maternity Bereavement Suite at the hospital as a fundraising campaign has been launched to construct a new dedicated facility for those who lose their babies either during, or shortly after birth.

This was voted as the Lynn News Charity of the Year, and the campaign has been described as essential by the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity (Sands) so that grieving parents are separated from the sounds of birthing mothers in the Waterlily Birth Centre.

Mrs Shine said: “It’s so important as it provides a family a chance to be with their baby and spend time together.

“That’s an important moment they can keep forever and they won’t get rushed. That chance to grieve and be with their baby is an important process.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/QEHMaternityBereavementSuite to donate.