Women who are miscarrying will finally start being treated in a more private new unit within Mater Dei Hospital as from next week, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela said during the official opening of the long-awaited unit. Until today, women who are experiencing a miscarriage 鈥 a traumatic experience on a physical and emotional level 鈥 are treated in the same ward as pregnant women or women who have just given birth. The opening of the new unit had been announced in 2022, but no date was set at the time. Progress on the project stalled, with little movement for several years. The issue resurfaced recently during a national conference on public consultation about the introduction of miscarriage leave. On Monday, Abela officially opened the Early Pregnancy Unit within Mater Dei Hospital. It will start taking in patients next week. The unit will take in eight women for further care and monitoring. The unit will also include an outpatient clinic for women who are suffering a miscarriage. It will be operated by 20 professionals – including nurses and midwives, who will be given specialised training. 鈥淭he hospital felt the need to have a unit for people who are suffering a miscarriage. The government listened to and understood people鈥檚 requests to set up this unit,鈥 Abela said. Every day, about three women have a miscarriage. About 400 are hospitalised at Mater Dei Hospital. In May the Gozo General Hospital began treating women who miscarry in a separate area from pregnant women.