A dad whose wife conceived after receiving treatment from a University of Warwick professor is raising awareness about the effects of miscarriage on men.

Leeds couple Matt and Kayleigh Burton lost four babies in two years but became parents a year later after receiving pioneering treatment in Coventry.

They were treated by Siobhan Quenby, joint Professor of Obstetrics at Warwick Medical School, the University of Warwick and University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire and in April 2014 their son Blake was born.

Now Matt, 29, has started a blog about his experiences and is to run the Plusnet Yorkshire 10 mile to raise funds for the unit where Kayleigh was treated.

After enduring heartbreak and happiness Matt decided to write about the subject of how miscarriage affects men which he found is rarely discussed.

Matt, who works in marketing in Huddersfield said: “For men, there are no physical consequences of miscarriage. And so, as miscarriage is quite commonly considered to be a temporary physical ailment, there is often little thought given to how it impacts upon a father.

“Society expects men to carry on, be strong, and look after their wife. The reality is that women don’t suffer miscarriages alone. Families suffer miscarriages together.”

Since the birth of Blake, Matt has been raising money for the Biomedical Research Unit in Reproductive Health at University Hospital in Coventry where Professor Quenby treated Kayleigh. So far he has raised more than £1,700. On Sunday 11 October he will be running the Plusnet Yorkshire 10 Mile race, which coincides with the annual Baby Loss Awareness Week on October 9-15.

Professor Quenby said: “It is wonderful that Matt is not only raising money to help the unit but he is also tackling the taboo subject of men and miscarriages.”

Along with her colleague Professor Jan Brosen, Professor Quenby leads the Implantation Research Clinic at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire, and sees more than 500 new patients every year. Their work helps women who suffer from recurrent miscarriages and infertility to conceive and give birth to healthy babies.

The unit’s work is renowned for its success rates. In a study funded by the J P Moulton Foundations, 60% of the women treated for recurrent miscarriage went on to deliver healthy babies. It is hoped that the unit will be able to increase this to 80% next time and take their treatments nationwide.

Matt’s blog can be read at https://chasingourhappilyeverafter.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/20-families-suffer-miscarriages-together/ So far his and Kayleigh’s joint blog https://chasingourhappilyeverafter.wordpress.com has received more than 12,000 views.

To sponsor Matt’s run visit his justgiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/teams/KayleighandMatt

18 September 2015

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For further details please contact Nicola Jones, Communications Manager, University of Warwick 07824 540863 or N.Jones.1@warwick.ac.uk