Ms Claire Cullen-Delsol:

The Deputy's observation that no couple is the same is really important. Nor is any pregnancy the same. We work with many women who receive the same diagnosis twice, for example. In their first, they might do what I did and carry the baby to term and on the second they might say that they absolutely cannot do it again. There are many permutations of that. It depends on the children one might have at home, for example, and one's other responsibilities. One might be looking after elderly parents, or one might have no money. We cannot go through all the variables. No one law will cover every permutation of people's lives because life is messy. Life is hard at times and there is no quota on tragedy or the amount that life can throw at one and what one has to deal with.

What I would like is to never again have to answer the phone to a woman who has questions such as how long her baby will stay warm for or if can get finger prints. Can she take pictures? Can she show them to people? How will they react? I would love for someone who is qualified, someone who has more than just the experience of having gone through this, to answer those questions for every woman who has them. I want to see everyone's needs met. That might be utopian but pregnancies are tough. Even healthy pregnancies are incredibly hard. I did not see the earlier session, but the committee will have heard how prenatal mental health care does not exist here. There are no services. One does not get looked after, particularly for pregnancies after one has had a loss. It could be a healthy pregnancy but it could be the hardest, and there is nothing there to support women through those journeys. I want to see a respectful, dignified procedure where women are listened to, their needs - whatever they may be - are met, where the external family, including the partner, is looked after, the children can talk about what is happening and where a woman can come to a decision that actually meets her needs. People ask me if I would have a termination if I received the same diagnosis again. I do not know; I cannot answer that question now. What I would like is the choice, which is all we can ask for. Give people the choice.