Hong Kong couples who lose their baby by miscarriage face an uphill struggle in an uncaring system
Miscarriages affect as many as half of all pregnancies, yet as parents grieve, many are concerned by the apparent indifference of Hong Kong’s institutions
With children’s laughter ringing in the background, Mr and Mrs Chan take a deep breath as they walk hand in hand past the playground.
The stroll through the neighbourhood park has never been more painful for the couple, who recently lost their child, Wilson, to a miscarriage.
Looking back, the nightmare the pair went through in June contrasts bitterly with the elation they felt when they saw the two telltale lines appear on the pregnancy kit they used in February.
Losing their child, however, was just the first chapter of a protracted ordeal for the Chans, who declined to give their full names. Their struggle illustrates the many pitfalls awaiting bereaved couples.
As many as half of all Hong Kong pregnancies end in miscarriage, according to a study by the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians. The trend towards marrying later in life, stressful lifestyles and environmental pollution have only exacerbated the problem.
And as they navigate the emotional turmoil, these Hongkongers also have to deal with a bureaucratic health care system, outdated legislation and social stigma surrounding the issue.