Antenatal Results & Choices

What Antenatal Results & Choices does

Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) is a UK national charity founded in 1988 and headquartered in London, providing independent, non-directive information and emotional support to expectant and bereaved parents navigating antenatal screening and diagnosis, including termination for medical reasons (TFMR). The organisation operates a multi-channel service portfolio: a national telephone helpline (cost ~£5,500/month to run), a password-protected online forum built on MyBB software that supports approximately 6,000 bereaved parents annually, an extensive publications library covering antenatal screening and diagnostic tests, bereavement support pathways, and a UK-wide trained volunteer support network coordinated by a National Support Coordinator.

ARC's commercial operations on the professional side include paid training programmes (67 sessions delivered in 2023-24, reaching 1,400 healthcare professionals and students), the annual National Conference, monthly Case Café virtual events, and bespoke sessions priced at £1,500 for three online workshops, plus workplace consultancy on pregnancy loss policies. ARC's revenue model is diversified across individual donations (the primary mechanism, since the charity receives no government funding), trust and foundation grants (National Lottery Community Fund, Eleanor Rathbone, Mary Homfray, Rose Foundation), corporate partnerships (Uniserve, Softcat, Broadfield Law, Classic Cottages, Beard Mill Clinic), training and conference fees, legacy giving, and merchandise sales through an online shop. Reach in 2023-24 averaged approximately 6,500 parent contacts per year via calls, emails, texts and Live Chat, with the website accessed roughly 10,000 times per month.

The organisation operates with 1-10 employees and a lean structure, supported by in-kind office provision from The Rose Foundation. ARC's strategic positioning rests on NHS integration through partnerships with fetal medicine units, midwives, and sonographers; coalition work with peer charities Petals, Tommy's, Sands, and Home-Start on TFMR campaigns and the National Bereavement Care Pathway; and a formal seat on the NHS England Clinical Reference Group for Specialised Women's Services. Recent initiatives (2021–2025) include the ARC Grove memorial tree programme in Scotland, the Break the Silence around TFMR campaign with Petals and Tommy's, a relaunch of in-person training in 2022-23, the Portsmouth outreach project in 2024, and a multilingual helpline service launched in November 2025.

Name

Antenatal Results & Choices

Legal name

Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC)

Website

https://arc-uk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Antenatal Results and Choices is a UK national charity founded in 1988 providing independent, non-directive information and emotional support to parents facing antenatal screening results, including TFMR, and training for healthcare professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Pregnancy and Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Family Planning Centers (621410)

akta.pro primary industry

General Obstetrics (Prenatal/Antepartum Care) (HLAKAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pregnancy & Prenatal Care Telehealth (OB tele-visits, prenatal monitoring) (HLALAHAC)

Keywords

• Antenatal screening support
• Pregnancy bereavement services
• Healthcare professional training
• Non-directive counselling services
• Charitable support services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals who have been supported by ARC or wish to support the charity's mission. Donations can be made online, via payroll giving, or through fundraising events.
2. Trust and Foundation Grants: Grants from charitable trusts and foundations including Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust, Mary Homfray Charitable Trust, Rose Foundation, National Lottery Community Fund, and others for core operations and specific projects.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Structured partnerships with companies including Uniserve, Softcat PLC, Broadfield Law, Classic Cottages, and Beard Mill Clinic. Partnerships include workplace giving schemes, employee fundraising, and sponsorship of services.
4. Training and Conference Fees: Fees charged for professional training sessions and conferences for healthcare professionals. Training includes 'Sensitive Communications' workshops and the annual National Conference.
5. Legacy Giving: Gifts left to ARC in wills. The charity actively promotes legacy giving and has a dedicated pledge form for supporters who have remembered ARC in their wills.
6. Shop Sales: Sale of merchandise including t-shirts, pin badges, tote bags, and Christmas cards through the ARC online shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) is a UK national charity that provides non-directive information and emotional support to parents and families before, during, and after antenatal screening and diagnosis. The charity operates a national helpline, a moderated online Parents' Forum, and bereavement support services for those affected by prenatal diagnosis and termination for medical reasons (TFMR). ARC also delivers training, conferences, and resources to healthcare professionals working in fetal medicine, midwifery, and antenatal care.

Product overview

ARC operates as a unified service portfolio centred on a national helpline (020 7713 7486) staffed by trained professionals, supported by a password-protected moderated Parents' Forum (built on MyBB software). The core offering combines bereavement support services with an extensive publications programme providing impartial information on antenatal screening and diagnosis. Add-on modules include: Healthcare Professional Training (sensitive communications workshops, Case Café monthly sessions, and annual National Conference); the ARC Shop (merchandise including pin badges, t-shirts, and Christmas cards); the ARC Grove memorial tree programme (via Trees for Life partnership); a UK-wide Volunteer Support Network; and outreach projects including the Home-Start Portsmouth partnership. All services are funded almost entirely by voluntary donations, with multilingual helpline support (250+ languages) enabled through Clear Voice partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Helpline Services National telephone helpline staffed by trained professionals providing confidential support and impartial information to parents facing unexpected antenatal test results or diagnoses. Available Monday to Friday 10am-5:30pm, with evening text service (UK only) and email support.
• Parents' Forum Password-protected, gently moderated online forum for people who have ended a pregnancy after prenatal diagnosis. Provides a private, supportive space where bereaved parents can share feelings, experiences, coping strategies, and hopes for the future. Free for UK residents (registration required); annual fee for international users.
• Bereavement Support Services Comprehensive bereavement support including one-to-one support from ARC Outreach Officer, connections to bereavement midwives, and access to specialised counselling through partner organisation Petals. Includes compassionate grief support for families who have had TFMR (Termination for Medical Reasons).
• Publications and Information Resources Extensive range of printed and digital publications providing impartial information on antenatal screening and diagnosis, including guides on ending a pregnancy after prenatal diagnosis, supporting parents throughout pregnancy, and help for fathers. Resources available in multiple translations and formats.
• Healthcare Professional Training Training programme for healthcare professionals covering sensitive communications, supporting parents through antenatal screening and diagnosis. Includes in-house, online, and London-based sessions; bespoke workshops on topics such as 'Sensitive communication in the workplace' and 'Handling difficult conversations'; and workplace consultancy for employers on pregnancy loss policies. Priced at £1,500 for three bespoke online training sessions.
• ARC National Conference Annual conference for healthcare professionals examining antenatal screening and diagnosis. Features world-renowned speakers, panel discussions on parent-centred care, and networking opportunities. Topics include innovations in patient care and professional practice, prenatal genomics, and fetal medicine. Tickets priced at £10 for healthcare professionals, £20 for students.
• Case Café Monthly online event for healthcare professionals working in antenatal care. Provides an informal forum for discussion on complex aspects of this healthcare area, often featuring filmed parent interviews followed by professional discussion.
• ARC Shop Online store selling ARC-branded merchandise including Baby and Pregnancy Loss Awareness pin badges (£3), maroon t-shirts (£10), pin badges (£2), tote bags (£5), and Christmas card packs (10 cards for £5). Proceeds support ARC's work.
• ARC Grove (Memorial Trees) Memorial tree planting programme in partnership with Trees for Life. Dedicated ARC grove in the Scottish Highlands allows supporters to plant trees (£5 each) to remember babies who have died.
• National Support Network (Volunteers) UK-wide volunteer support network connecting parents with volunteers whose experience or circumstances are similar to their own. Managed by National Support Coordinator, enabling parents to talk to others who have faced the same decisions.
• ARC E-news (Healthcare Professional Newsletter) Quarterly newsletter for healthcare professionals providing updates on training, resources, and developments in antenatal screening and care. Available via sign-up form.
• Parent-Centred Care Guidelines Guidelines describing what expectant parents should expect from their healthcare team when their baby is diagnosed with a chromosomal or physical condition. Developed with expert group input and aligned with NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme standards.
• National Bereavement Care Pathway Partnership Partnership launched in 2017 with multiple organisations to develop and promote the NBCP (National Bereavement Care Pathway) for pregnancy and baby loss, including specific guidelines for parents facing termination for fetal anomaly.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supporting over 6,500 parent contacts annually through helpline
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Home-Start PortsmouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC partnered with Home-Start Portsmouth to deliver the 'Antenatal Results and Choices Outreach Project', a two-year programme supporting families in Portsmouth facing challenging pregnancy journeys. The project provides compassionate grief support, active listening, and signposting to additional help for parents who may not otherwise have heard of ARC's services.
• Trees for LifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC partnered with Trees for Life to create the ARC grove in the Scottish Highlands where supporters can plant memorial trees for £5 each to remember babies lost through TFMR or baby loss.
• Clear VoicecoreTechnology or IntegrationARC partnered with Clear Voice and their trusted language services to make the helpline available in 250+ languages, improving accessibility for non-English speaking families.
• PetalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC partnered with Petals (specialist baby loss counselling charity) and Tommy's to launch a TFMR survey and run the 'Break the Silence around TFMR' campaign to raise awareness and support families who have experienced termination for medical reasons.
• Tommy'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC partnered with Petals and Tommy's to conduct joint TFMR survey research and run the 'Break the Silence around TFMR' campaign, combining expertise in baby loss support and pregnancy research.
• Beard Mill CliniccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBeard Mill Clinic has sponsored ARC since 2016. The Oxfordshire-based clinic ensures patients have access to ARC's support and information services if they receive a worrying result or diagnosis.
• MAMA AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMAMA Academy has been promoting ARC and referring anxious parents to ARC's helpline and website services since 2015, complementing their work on stillbirth prevention.
• AMMA Birth CompanionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorARC partners with AMMA Birth Companions in Glasgow to promote knowledge of antenatal screening, deliver training sessions, develop relationships with local NHS hospitals and community groups.
• Diagnostic Ultrasound ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner ensuring that patients have access to ARC's support and information services if they receive a worrying result or diagnosis during consultations.
• SandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC works with Sands (stillbirth and neonatal death charity) as part of the BLAW Alliance to hold the government accountable so the best possible bereavement care is available to anyone going through pregnancy and baby loss, particularly around the National Bereavement Care Pathway.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Aching Arms: Aching Arms supports bereaved parents after baby loss through comfort bears and peer networks. It is smaller and more focused than ARC but addresses a similar bereaved-parent segment and shares NHS maternity-unit referral routes.
• Saying Goodbye (part of Fertility Network UK): Saying Goodbye provides support for anyone affected by pregnancy loss, stillbirth or infertility. It overlaps with ARC's bereaved-parent segment but operates as a smaller subdivision of Fertility Network UK, with comparable peer-support delivery model.
• The Lullaby Trust: The Lullaby Trust focuses on sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and infant bereavement support. While its cause-of-death focus differs from ARC's antenatal-diagnosis focus, it competes for similar UK bereavement-charity donations and NHS bereavement-care funding.

Regional players

• SiMBA (Simpson's Memory Box Appeal): SiMBA supports bereaved families after pregnancy loss and the death of a baby, primarily across Scotland. It mirrors ARC's bereavement-support and memory-making services but operates on a regional rather than UK-wide basis.

Others

• Birthrights: Birthrights is a UK charity advocating for respectful maternity care and pregnancy rights. It does not deliver direct parent support but is a thematic peer in the pregnancy-decision-rights space and engages with overlapping NHS policy stakeholders.

Direct peers

• Petals Charity: Petals provides specialist counselling following baby loss and is a direct ARC partner on the TFMR survey and referral pathway. It overlaps with ARC on bereavement support delivery and shares the same NHS midwife referral channel.
• Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity): Sands is a UK-wide baby loss charity focused on stillbirth and neonatal death, partnering with ARC on the National Bereavement Care Pathway and BLAW Alliance. It addresses an adjacent but overlapping parent population, making it the closest peer in mission, NHS referral pipeline, and policy influence.
• The Miscarriage Association: The Miscarriage Association supports parents through pregnancy loss, providing helpline and information services. It is comparable to ARC in charity structure, support-delivery model, and reliance on NHS referrals, though its focus centres on miscarriage rather than antenatal anomaly.
• Tommy's: Tommy's funds pregnancy research and supports families through baby loss; ARC partnered with Tommy's and Petals on the joint 'Break the Silence around TFMR' survey and campaign. Both serve bereaved parents and fundraise from overlapping UK donor pools.

Broad incumbents

• Child Bereavement UK: Child Bereavement UK supports families after the death of a child of any age, with broader scope than ARC. It is a larger incumbent offering overlapping training for healthcare professionals and competes with ARC for the same NHS bereavement-care funding streams.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/arcantenatal
• Facebookfacebook.com/antenatalresultsandchoices
• Instagraminstagram.com/arcantenatal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Antenatal Results & Choices