Understand
Hampshire mother campaigns to break the taboo around termination for medical reasons
Overview
Rosanna Brown from Hampshire, whose son William was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition called Chaos syndrome, is campaigning for greater awareness and proper terminology regarding termination for medical reasons (TFMR). Brown experienced a lack of support and appropriate terminology, noting her son's death was recorded as a late miscarriage instead of a TFMR. Ahead of Baby Loss Awareness Week, she has written a book titled The Silence Of TFMR to help others navigate similar grief.
Key points
- Rosanna Brown ended her pregnancy in 2023 after her son William was diagnosed with Chaos syndrome.
- Brown highlights the stigma and loneliness surrounding TFMR, with about 5,000 women offered the procedure annually in the UK.
- She campaigns for medical professionals to use the correct term 'TFMR' rather than 'late miscarriage' to avoid silencing grieving parents.
- Jane Fisher from the ARC charity notes that using accurate terminology is essential to breaking the stigma and helping parents grieve.
- Brown has written a book called The Silence Of TFMR to support others facing similar circumstances.