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Found 472 results
  1. News Article
    The UK's Health Security Agency says its analysis of English data shows Covid vaccines are safe in pregnancy, reinforcing international evidence. The agency found similar rates of stillbirths and preterm births for vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers. Researchers say women should feel confident the jabs will help protect them and urge more to take them. Their report shows just 22% of women who gave birth in August had had at least one jab. Since mid-April, mothers-to-be have been offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna jab, with the second dose recommended eight weeks after the first. But women first eligible for vaccination were more likely to be older or have an underlying medical condition - putting them at higher risk of premature births, researchers say. Meanwhile, studies suggest about one in five women admitted to hospital with the virus have their babies delivered early and some of these babies need special intensive care. And evidence suggests the risks of stillbirths are higher if a woman has Covid in pregnancy. UKHSA immunisation head said the new information on safety was reassuring. "Every pregnant woman who has not yet been vaccinated should feel confident to go and get the jab and that this will help to prevent the serious consequences of catching Covid in pregnancy," she said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 26 November 2021
  2. Event
    This webinar will feature two presentations on: Lancet article - Adverse pregnancy outcomes attributable to socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in England: a national cohort study NMPA report - Ethnic and socio-economic inequalities in NHS maternity and perinatal care for women and their babies There will be a Q&A guest panel featuring: Professor Eddie Morris Clo and Tinuke, Five X more Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP Professor Jacqui Dunkley-Bent Professor Marian Knight Professor Asma Khalil Join the webinar on Microsoft Teams
  3. News Article
    Women who experience bleeding in early pregnancy and have had at least one miscarriage should be treated with the hormone progesterone. The new guidance, from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), is based on research suggesting the treatment could lead to 8,450 more births each year in the UK. The more miscarriages a woman had, the more effective progesterone was, the trial found. The naturally occurring hormone helps prepare the womb for the growing baby. About one in five women experience bleeding, or spotting as it is sometimes called, in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It often causes no problems but they are advised to have it checked out with their doctor or midwife to be sure. Some may experience a "threatened miscarriage", where bleeding continues along with the pregnancy. Most are told to go home and wait and see what happens next. The new (NICE) guidance recommends inserting progesterone pessaries into the vagina twice a day. A trial carried out by researchers at the Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research which the new guidance is based on, found that progesterone didn't make much of a difference for women who just had bleeding and no previous miscarriages. But the more miscarriages a woman had suffered, the more effective progesterone was. One of those behind the Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research research, Prof Arri Coomarasamy, from the University of Birmingham, said: "This is a very significant moment. "We have an intervention that works that can stop a miscarriage. This gives hope to thousands of couples throughout UK." "But it's really important to appreciate that only some miscarriages can be prevented by progesterone." "There are other causes for miscarriages." "We still need to study them. We need to find other effective treatment." Read full story Source: BBC News, 24 November 2021
  4. News Article
    The increased risk of black and minority ethnic women dying during pregnancy needs to be seen as a whole system problem and not limited to just maternity departments, according to experts on an exclusive panel hosted by The Independent. Professor Marian Knight, from Oxford University told the virtual event on Wednesday night that the health service needed to change its approach to caring for ethnic minority women in a wider context. Campaigners Tinuke Awe and Clotilde Rebecca Abe, from the Fivexmore campaign, called for changes to the way midwives were trained and demanded it was time to “decolonise the curriculum” so it recognised the physiological differences between some ethnic minority women and white women. Dr Mary Ross-Davie, from the Royal College of Midwives, said work was underway to ensure the voices of black women and other minorities were represented in its work and it was examining how it could deliver better training to midwives. The data on maternity deaths in the UK show black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy in the UK than white women. For Asian women, they are twice as likely to die. Read full story and watch video of event Source: The Independent, 18 November 2021
  5. News Article
    Researchers are to use artificial intelligence (AI) in the hope of reducing risk to pregnant black women. Loughborough University experts are to work with the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) to identify patterns in its recent investigations. Research has suggested black women are more than four times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than white women in the UK. The researchers plan to look at more than 600 of HSIB's recent investigations into adverse outcomes during pregnancy and birth. The research team will develop a machine learning system capable of identifying factors, based on a set of codes, that contribute to harm during pregnancy and birth experienced by black families. These include biological factors, such as obesity or birth history; social and economic factors such as language barriers and unemployment; and the quality of care and communication with the mother. It will look at how these elements interact with and influence each other, and help researchers design ways to improve the care of black mothers and babies. Dr Patrick Waterson, from the university, who is helping to lead the project, said: "Ultimately, we believe the outcomes from our research have the potential to transform the NHS's ability to reduce maternal harm amongst mothers from black ethnic groups." He added that in the longer term, the research could improve patient safety for all mothers. Read full story Source: BBC News, 17 November 2021
  6. Content Article
    In this study in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, the authors examined the views of men from Uganda currently living in the UK of an educational board game used to promote engagement in maternal health. Men can play a significant role in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality in low-income countries and maternal health programmes are increasingly looking for innovative interventions to engage men to help improve health outcomes for pregnant women. The study found that men were receptive to the board game and reported that easy-to-understand visual aids and messages helped change their perspective. Participants suggested that the game needs to be adapted to the local context for use with men in rural Uganda.
  7. News Article
    Black women are more than four times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than white women in the UK, a review of 2017-2019 deaths shows. The MBRRACE-UK report found women from Asian backgrounds are almost twice as likely to die as white women. Some 495 individuals died during pregnancy or up to a year after birth, out of 2,173,810 having a child. The charity Birthrights is concerned that overall "this bleak picture has not changed in over a decade". University of Oxford researchers say for the vast majority of people, pregnancy remains very safe in the UK. But despite slight decreases in the maternal death rate in recent years, there have been no significant improvements to these rates since the 2010 to 2012 period. Their current report shows heart disease, epilepsy and stroke continue to be the most common causes of death. And they say in some 37% of cases, improvements in care may have made a difference to the outcome. Lead researcher, Prof Marian Knight, said: "Pregnant women get inequitable care for several reasons. "Healthcare professionals often attribute their symptoms to pregnancy alone and they do not always end up getting the treatment they need because people can be incorrectly concerned about giving them medication. "On top of that is the unconscious bias that black and Asian women can experience. It all adds up. "We know from other studies that the disparity in death rates cannot be fully explained by socio-economic factors and other medical conditions for example. We need to look for other reasons." Read full story Source: BBC News, 11 November 2021
  8. News Article
    A trial testing for Group B Strep during pregnancies has been welcomed by a mum who lost her son to the bacterial infection. The trial at Derriford Hospital will see routine testing for the bacteria that can put newborns at risk. Dawn Byly lost her third child Leo to the infection a day after he was born in Truro in 2003. "I would love to think this might help prevent other families going through such a traumatic loss," she said. About one in four pregnant women are carriers of Group B Strep. Most do not have any symptoms, but it can spread to their child during labour and in a small number of cases the infection can be life-threatening. Currently only women identified as being at risk are tested and if positive are offered antibiotics during labour and birth. Tests are available privately and involve a late swab in pregnancy. "Suffering the loss of a child is a tragedy and we are committed to making sure all women get the right support and best possible maternity care," said the Department of Health and Social Care. "The UK National Screening Committee reviewed the evidence to screen for Group B Strep at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy in 2017 and concluded there was insufficient evidence to introduce a national screening programme," it added. Dr Alexander Taylor, from Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, said: "It's felt uncomfortable as an obstetrician in the UK knowing America, Canada and many of our European neighbours have been routinely screening for Group B Strep. "This large trial aims to uncover both the clinical effectiveness but also the cost effectiveness of instituting a programme like this." Read full story Source: BBC News, 9 November 2021
  9. News Article
    A California couple gave birth to a stranger's child after being given the wrong embryo by a fertility clinic during in vitro fertilisation (IVF), says a lawsuit. Daphna and Alexander Cardinale say they gave birth in September 2019 to a girl that looked nothing like them. After a DNA test, they found the couple that carried their daughter to term, and together decided to swap the girls. This is not the first alleged mix-up during an IVF procedure. IVF is a procedure during which a woman's eggs are fertilised by man's sperm in a laboratory before the embryos are implanted into a woman's uterus. The Cardinales are suing the Los Angeles-based fertility centre, the California Center for Reproductive Health (CCRH), as well as In VitroTech Labs, an embryology lab. The lawsuit alleges medical malpractice, negligence and fraudulent concealment. Neither company responded to a BBC News request for comment. In an emotional news conference on Monday, Mrs Cardinale said her family's "heartbreak and confusion can't be understated". "Our memories of childbirth will always be tainted by the sick reality that our biological child was given to someone else, and the baby that I fought to bring into this world was not mine to keep." Read full story Source: BBC News, 9 November 2021
  10. News Article
    Saiqa Parveen was eight months pregnant and weeks from welcoming her fifth daughter to the world, but died of Covid after putting off getting the coronavirus jab. Her family have now issued an emotional plea for pregnant women to get vaccinated. Parveen, 37, had planned to delay having the jab until her baby was born, her family said, but she was admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties in September and put on a ventilator. A decision was taken by medical staff at Good Hope hospital in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, to deliver the baby by emergency caesarean section. Parveen died on 1 November after spending five weeks in intensive care. Asked what her last words were, her husband Gahfur said: “She couldn’t even talk. She couldn’t breathe properly … She couldn’t talk.” He added: “I’m going to pass this message to the whole world, I just beg all people to get the vaccine, otherwise it’s very hard for them. It’s a very deadly disease, you know. She planned so many things, and this disease didn’t give her a chance.” Covid vaccines are recommended for pregnant women. In a letter to midwives, obstetricians and GP practices in July, the chief midwife for England, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, said all healthcare professionals had “a responsibility to proactively encourage pregnant women” to get vaccinated. Parveen chose not to have the vaccine, but concerns have been raised that pregnant women are being turned away from vaccine clinics despite clinical advice. Members of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation told the Guardian that they were urging ministers to focus more on pregnant women because only about 15% in the UK have been fully vaccinated. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 November 2021
  11. News Article
    It is coming up to a year since the first mRNA vaccines were approved for use against COVID-19, and almost seven months since they were approved for expectant mothers. The initial government advice was was that they should hold off getting a jab, but since more data has become available, medical experts have been encouraging women to get vaccinated. But there has been no big government awareness campaign, despite pregnant women being identified as a vulnerable group. The proportion of fully vaccinated pregnant women in the UK is as low as 15% (in the US, it is more than twice that, at 33.8%). That such a small porportion of pregnant women are fully vaccinated in the UK, seven months after vaccines were approved for them, is nothing short of a scandal. And more women and their babies are at risk of dying because of it. Recent figures for England show that one in six critically ill patients are unvaccinated pregnant women with Covid. Of the 20 pregnant women requiring the highest level of life-saving care, 19 were unvaccinated and one had received one dose. These are frightening statistics, but on their own they do not seem to be enough to persuade pregnant women to get vaccinated. In order to do that, it’s important to understand why we are seeing such high levels of hesitancy... Read full story Source: The Guardian, 29 October 2021
  12. News Article
    A nurse from scandal-hit Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital ordered a pregnant woman to take medication she was allergic to. Christine Speake, who had worked in the NHS for almost 40 years as a midwife and nurse, has been struck-off the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register after a tribunal heard she told the mother to “just take it” and then tried to cover-up her mistake after the woman suffered a reaction. The NMC hearing was told the 11-week pregnant patient and her unborn child could have died after being prescribed the Buscopan by a junior doctor to treat severe nausea and vomiting in January 2019. The woman – named only as 'Patient A' – was given the drug by Speake despite her allergy being included in her medical records. Speake was employed as a sister on the gynaecology ward at the Princess Royal Hospital. When the mother questioned what she was being given, Speake, who has worked as a midwife and nurse since 1985, snapped "just take it". The panel heard Patient A then had a violent reaction and broke out in a rash and started vomiting. But Speake, who realised her mistake, then failed to tell her colleagues in a bid to “cover up” what she had done and later resigned, the NMC tribunal heard. Read full story Source: The Independent, 26 October 2021
  13. Content Article
    A new medical guideline has been released for consultation by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, bringing together all the available evidence on possible risks and causes of recurrent miscarriage, potential treatment options, management of subsequent pregnancies and best practice in supportive care. The new draft Recurrent Miscarriage guideline – last published in 2011 – supports a move towards a graded model of care where women are provided with individualised care earlier. In the UK, women can only access support after they have experienced three miscarriages in a row. The new approach would see women offered information and guidance to support future pregnancies after one miscarriage, an appointment at a miscarriage clinic for initial investigations after two miscarriages, and a full series of evidence-based investigations and care – as described in this guideline - after three miscarriages.
  14. News Article
    Women who lose a baby during pregnancy should be offered help after having one miscarriage rather than the three currently needed to trigger NHS support, doctors say. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) wants the NHS to overhaul its rules so that any woman who suffers a miscarriage receives some form of care, mainly information and guidance, to help them cope with their loss and plan future pregnancies. Anyone who has two miscarriages should automatically be offered an appointment for an initial investigation at a specialist miscarriage clinic and a more in-depth exploration of their health after losing a child after conception three times, the college says in a new medical guideline. “Miscarriage is a distressing, shocking and traumatic experience for many women and their partners. For too long the topic has been under-researched and the care for women and their partners under-resourced,” said Dr Edward Morris, the president of the RCOG. “We believe women should access appropriate and standardised care after their first miscarriage and that is why we are endorsing the graded model for miscarriage care in this guideline.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 19 October 2021
  15. Content Article
    HSIB is pleased to present the first quarterly newsletter sharing learning from trusts across the whole of England. The purpose of this newsletter is to allow clinical teams and trusts to share the changes that have been made as a result of the findings and recommendations from maternity investigations undertaken by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB). These initiatives were developed by the trusts and their maternity teams, we would like to thank them for sharing their work with others. This approach to collaborative learning supports trusts to share resources and improvement ideas that relate to similar concerns each trust experiences, as they strive to continually improve the care and safety of mothers and their babies. These examples of learning reflect what is being implemented in trusts with varying requirements to support their maternity services. This allows what is learnt in Newcastle to be known about in Penzance.
  16. News Article
    Stillbirth rates remain "exceptionally high" for black and Asian babies in the UK, a report examining baby loss in 2019 has found. The figures come despite improving numbers overall, with some 610 fewer stillbirths in 2019 than in 2013. The MBBRACE-UK report found babies of mothers living in deprived areas are at higher risk of stillbirths and neonatal deaths than those in other places. Charities say there is an urgent need to tackle inequalities around birth. There were some 2,399 stillbirths (a death occurring before or during birth once a pregnancy has reached 24 weeks) and 1,158 neonatal deaths (babies who die in the first 28 days of life) in the UK in 2019. The report, by the Universities of Leicester and Oxford, found: Overall stillbirth rates fell from 4.2 per 1,000 births in 2013 to 3.35 per 1,000 births in 2019 For babies of black and black British ethnicity, stillbirth rates were 7.23 per 1,000 births For babies of Asian and Asian British ethnicity, stillbirth rates were 5.05 per 1,000 births For babies of white ethnicity, stillbirth rates were 3.22 per 1,000 births. Read full story Source: BBC News, 15 October 2021
  17. News Article
    Pregnant women are being advised by some health professionals not to have the Covid vaccine despite an edict from the NHS that they should encourage them to get the jab. One in six of the most critically ill Covid patients requiring life-saving care are unvaccinated pregnant women, figures released last week show. Yet messages sent to the Vaccines and Pregnancy helpline, launched on 20 August to help pregnant women navigate information about the vaccine, suggest that some midwives are advising against the jab. One said: “I was initially keen to have the vaccine and then advised by a midwife not to have it.” Another wrote: “I had my first dose before I knew I was pregnant. Now I’m pregnant I’ve been told I’m not allowed my second.” Another reported: “I’ve been advised by midwives not to get the vaccine due to the impact on ovulation and menstruation.” The helpline was set up by the organisation Full Fact in partnership with the campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed. Many of those contacting it complained of conflicting advice while others were pushed from pillar to post. One said: “I’m pregnant and really confused about getting the vaccine. I’ve spoken to my health visitor, who said speak to your GP, the GP said speak to your midwife, and the midwife said they can’t advise me.” Full Fact’s deputy editor, Claire Milne, said the helpline was established to counter misinformation about the vaccine. She explained: “It’s not right so many pregnant women have been left scared for their safety and that of their unborn children. “Messaging around the safety of the vaccines in pregnancy has been, at times, confused. It’s vital that up-to-date information is available – especially when speaking with health professionals.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 17 October 2021
  18. News Article
    Unvaccinated pregnant women accounted for nearly a fifth of the most severely ill coronavirus patients in England in recent months, according to health officials. Between July and September, 17% of COVID-19 patients who required a special lung bypass machine while in intensive care were mothers-to-be who had not received their first vaccine dose, NHS England said. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used when a patient’s lungs are so damaged by Covid-19 that a ventilator cannot maintain oxygen levels. While just six per cent of the women aged 16 to 49 who needed ECMO at the start of the pandemic were pregnant, nearly a third of women among that age group who required the lung bypass in recent months were unvaccinated mothers-to-be. The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) called the statistics a “damning indictment of the lack of attention given to this vulnerable group as restrictions have eased”. Read full story Source: The Independent, 11 October 2021
  19. Content Article
    This blog in The BMJ Opinion by Steph O'Donohue, content and engagement manager at Patient Safety Learning, looks at the benefits and potential risks of the midwifery continuity of carer model. Steph highlights that seeing the same midwife throughout pregnancy and during labour allows patient and midwife to build a relationship of trust and results in improved outcomes for patients and their babies. She argues that patients and families would be more vocal advocates for continuity of carer if they better understood the benefits of the model. Further reading: Midwifery Continuity of Carer: What does good look like?' Midwifery Continuity of Carer: Frontline insights The benefits of Continuity of Carer: a midwife’s personal reflection
  20. Content Article
    This is the transcript of a debate in the House of Commons ahead of Baby Loss Awareness Week (9 to 15 October 2021). In this debate, MPs reflected on personal experiences and those of their constituents, the role of Baby Loss Awareness Week as an essential focal point for bereaved families and the potential for the Government to mandate and fund the National Bereavement Care Pathway programme.
  21. Content Article
    Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Sue McAllister has published the independent investigation into the death of a baby (Baby A) at HMP Bronzefield on 27 September 2019. The investigation identified a considerable number of issues and concerns about the care and management of Ms A, the baby’s mother. Sue makes a significant number of recommendations to improve maternity services in Bronzefield. There is wider learning for the whole of the women’s prison estate from the death of Baby A, and the Prison Service must take this opportunity to improve the outcomes for pregnant prisoners so that this tragic event is not repeated.
  22. Content Article
    The aim of this qualitative study, published in Midwifery, was to examine how (UK and Australian based) midwifery students, who self-identify as having been bullied, perceive the repercussions on women and their families.
  23. Content Article
    The 17 September marks World Patient Safety Day, and this year the focus is on ‘Safe maternal and newborn care’. Recently there has been greater research attention on patient safety in low- and middle-income countries due to the global awareness of the need to improve safety standards for all patients, including in maternal care. In this blog, I highlight the scale of maternal and newborn death in low- and middle-income countries, the contributing factors to this, and the need to improve maternal health and safety.
  24. Content Article
    This is the transcript of a Westminster Hall debate in the House of Commons on Black Maternal Health Awareness Week, dedicated to raising awareness about the disparities in maternal outcomes for Black women.
  25. Content Article
    At Patient Safety Learning we believe that sharing insights and learning is vital to improving outcomes and reducing harm. That’s why we created the hub; providing a space for people to come together and share their experiences, resources and good practice examples. This month, to mark World Patient Safety Day 2021 on the 17 September, we’ve selected seven resources related to this year’s theme, ‘Safe maternal and newborn care’. Shared with us by hub members, charities and patient safety advocates, they provide valuable insights and practical guidance on a broad range of maternity safety topics. 
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