Rosanna Brown Calls for Better Awareness of Terminating Pregnancies for Medical Reasons

Rosanna Brown, a woman who was advised to end her pregnancy due to her baby's life-threatening medical condition, is speaking out about the need for better awareness and support for women who undergo medically-advised abortions. Brown, who lost her son William in 2023, says the experience was made more difficult due to a lack of training around medically-advised abortions.

Brown, who has written a book about her experience, is campaigning for change, including for the term "medically-advised abortion" to be properly used. She says that the lack of clarity around the term can make it harder for women to talk about their experiences and seek support.

According to the NHS, comprehensive support is offered to women whose unborn baby is diagnosed with a serious health condition. However, Brown says that this support is not always available, and that she was not provided with adequate care during her pregnancy.

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Brown's experience is not unique. According to the ARC Charity, 5,000 women a year are offered medically-advised abortions, which is more than experience stillbirth and neonatal death. Jane Fisher, chief executive of the ARC Charity, says that using the right term is vital to breaking the stigma around medically-advised abortions.

"It describes the reality of the situation and reports suggest that's important both for parents to accept what happened but also for us to break the stigma and taboo around this particular loss," Fisher said.

Brown's book, "The Silence Of", aims to provide a compassionate guide to help others navigate the complex and lonely experience of losing a baby through medically-advised abortion. The book is available now.

Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place from 9 to 15 October. And Brown is using this opportunity to raise awareness about the need for better support and understanding for women who undergo medically-advised abortions.

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"Some of the most painful advice [was] 'don't let this define you'." Brown said. "I really took offence because your identity changes, your whole life changes. I am defined [by it] and am quite happy to be.

I need to find ways to keep tapping into that identity of parent to him because that's the only way he gets to exist, in this world."

Her book and advocacy work aim to provide a voice for those who have experienced this difficult and often stigmatized situation.