A Stevenage mother who welcomed her miracle baby is at the forefront of a new campaign for a pregnancy charity and its life-changing research. 

Jane Darragh, 44, gave birth to her son Lewis in February after losing twins, Ruby and Thomas at 19 weeks, Finlay at 23 weeks, as well as suffering from two miscarriages before 12 weeks and several unsuccessful attempts at IVF. 

Along with pregnancy charity Tommy’s, Jane is trying to improve awareness, understanding and prevention of baby loss that happens between 13 and 24 weeks of pregnancy through the Big Give Christmas Challenge running until December 10. 

Jane with Lewis and JamieJane with Lewis and Jamie (Image: Courtesy of Tommy's)

Jane said: “Tommy’s has, for us, been life-changing. Lewis is our little miracle baby. I still look at him and can’t really believe he’s ours. He is amazing. 

“Without Tommy’s, who really champion women like me, and who really raise the profile of miscarriages and invest so much into research, Lewis just wouldn’t be here and I don’t know what I would be doing now.”  

“It’s so important to highlight second-trimester loss because there’s little support or understanding.  

“It’s also not really spoken about, and there is a great deal of silence around baby loss in general which can feel extremely isolating. 

“I laboured my children, had a funeral, and will grieve for them the rest of my life. The word ‘miscarriage’ just doesn’t feel right for such late-stage losses. 

“It took us 12 years to have Lewis and there’s been so much sadness along the way but having the TAC (transabdominal stitch) was a game changer.  

“The cervix isn’t checked as standard but, as Lewis proves, these losses are not inevitable. 

“If my consultant hadn’t contacted Professor Shennan, and he hadn’t been so positive and reassuring in encouraging us to get the TAC, Lewis wouldn’t be here.” 

Jane with Lewis and JamieJane with Lewis and Jamie (Image: Courtesy of Tommy's) Professor Andrew Shennan, head of Tommy’s Preterm Birth Surveillance Clinic at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London, recommended a procedure known as transabdominal cerclage (TAC) which requires the insertion of a stitch around the highest part of the cervix that prevents the neck of the womb from opening too early and causing premature birth. 

Every donation made by members of the public to Tommy’s during the Big Give will be matched up to £50,000 by funds pledged by AESSEAL plc and some of Tommy’s closest supporters, doubling the total raised to £100,000. 

To donate to this cause visit: https://bit.ly/biggive2024press