Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Pregnancy'.
Found 471 results
-
Content ArticleAllotey et al. determined the clinical manifestations, risk factors, and maternal and perinatal outcomes in pregnant and recently pregnant women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. The authors found that pregnant and recently pregnant women are less likely to manifest COVID-19 related symptoms of fever and myalgia than non-pregnant women of reproductive age and are potentially more likely to need intensive care treatment for COVID-19. Pre-existing comorbidities, high maternal age, and high body mass index seem to be risk factors for severe COVID-19. Preterm birth rates are high in pregnant women with covid-19 than in pregnant women without the disease.
-
News ArticleA majority of pregnant women who died from coronavirus during the peak of the pandemic were from an ethnic minority background, it has emerged. A new study of more than a dozen women who died between March and May this year also heavily criticised the reorganisation of NHS services which it said contributed to poor care and the deaths of some of the women. This included one woman who was twice denied an intensive care bed because there were none available, as well as women treated by inexperienced staff who had been redeployed by hospitals and who made mistakes in their treatment of the women. The report, by experts at the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, based at the University of Oxford, also criticised mental health services after four women died by suicide. The report said women were “bounced” between services which had stopped face-to-face assessments during the crisis. The report looked at 16 women’s deaths in total. Eight women died from COVID-19, seven of whom had an ethnic minority background. Two women with Covid-19 died from unrelated causes, four died by suicide and two were victims of homicide. In the report, published on Thursday, the authors concluded improvements in care could have been made in 13 of the deaths they examined. In six cases, improvements in care could have meant they survived. Read full story Source: The Independent, 21 August 2020
-
Content ArticleThe emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus led to immediate concerns about the impact of infection on pregnant women. In response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic the MBRRACE-UK team instituted rapid notification of maternal deaths associated with SARS-CoV-2, following which notifications of SARS-CoV-2-associated maternal deaths were received in early April 2020. Expedited reviews were conducted into all deaths of women with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection during or up to one year after pregnancy, and any deaths of women who died from mental health-related causes or domestic violence, which might have been influenced by public health measures introduced to control the epidemic such as lockdown. This rapid report aims to identify lessons learned to guide future care and pathway changes in the context of infection transmission and the need for public health and NHS service measures to prevent infection.
-
Content ArticleIn this editorial for the British Medical Journal, Helen Haskell summarises the findings and recommendations of the Cumberlege Review, First Do No Harm. Helen argues that while the report has the potential to be a powerful tool for change in and beyond the UK, patients and families now need to see evidence of action.
-
Content ArticlePSNet publish a case of a misdiagnosed pelvic mass in a pregnant woman with an accompanying commentary from Leiserowitz and Hedriana discussing the diagnostic errors and the systems change needed.
-
Content ArticleThis paper, from THIS Institute, aims to describe exactly what needs to happen for maternity care to be safe by examining how interventions and context work together to nurture and sustain safe practice.
-
Content ArticleChaired by Baroness Julia Cumberlege, the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report, First Do No Harm, examines how the healthcare system in England responds to reports about the harmful side effects from medicines and medical devices. In this blog, Patient Safety Learning reflects on one of the key patient safety themes featured in the Review – informed consent.
- Posted
- 6 comments
-
1
-
- (and 5 more)
-
Content Article
The Obs Pod, by obstetrician Florence Wilcock
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Maternity
This series of podcasts, supported by the Maternity Experience (#MatExp), is produced by Florence Wilcock. She explores different topics within maternity, aiming to ignite positive change and action. -
Content ArticleOn Wednesday 8 July 2020 the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review published its report First Do No Harm, examining how the healthcare system in England responds to reports about the harmful side effects from medicines and medical devices. Chaired by Baroness Julia Cumberlege, the review focused on looking at what happened in relation to three medical interventions: hormone pregnancy tests, sodium valproate and pelvic mesh implants. In this blog Patient Safety Learning consider the reports findings in more detail, highlighting the key patient safety themes running through this, which are also found in many other patient safety scandals in the last twenty years. It also looks at what needs to change to prevent these issues recurring and asks whether NHS leaders stick with the current ways of working, make a few improvements, or take this opportunity for transformational change.
-
Content ArticleThe government-commissioned review, First Do No Harm, into why mesh implants and other treatments were allowed to harm hundreds of women said the failings were “caused and compounded by failings in the health system itself”. HSJ's Health Check podcast considers why it is being buried by government.
-
Content Article
The group B Strep i-learn module
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Maternity
Group B Strep can be a complex topic, with some confusion about what exactly is the latest guidelines on testing, risk factors, recommended antibiotics, and the impact (if any) of GBS on homebirths, waterbirths, breastfeeding, and much more.This is why Group B Strep Support and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have produced an evidence-based group B Strep i-learn module.The group B Strep i-learn module focuses on the current UK guidelines for preventing group B Strep infection in newborn babies and on signs of these infections in babies. It will refresh clinician knowledge of the national guidelines, and help you tackle the FAQs you get from expectant and new parents.Follow the link below to find out how to sign up. -
Content ArticleCOVID-19 has created unprecedented pressures for the NHS as a whole including maternity services. How can maternity leaders run a safe and rights respecting maternity service during a pandemic? This guide, produced by Brithrights, sets out a process to support maternity service leaders to reach decisions that help them to achieve this. All those affected by decisions need to be involved in making them. NHS England guidance states that Maternity Voices Partnership Chairs should be involved in decisions about temporary changes to maternity services, in addition to staff and partner organisations.
-
Content Article
Premature Waters Breaking (PPROM awareness)
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Maternity
PPROM is the acronym for Preterm Pre-labour Rupture Of Membranes. This is otherwise known as when the waters break prior to 37 weeks during pregnancy. These waters, known as the amniotic fluid, protect the baby from injury. It also helps in preventing infection being passed from mother to baby. As soon as the waters break the risks of infection to both mother and baby are high. Therefore good management of care at this stage is key to treating this condition successfully. Little Heartbeats raise awareness of PPROM, help patients share their experiences and promote the use of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology leaflet which contains the guidelines set out for UK hospitals to follow in the event of PPROM. -
Content Article
The MBRRACE-UK Saving Lives, Improving Mothers' Care report found that black women in the UK are five times as likely as white women to die during pregnancy or childbirth. -
Content ArticleThis Review was announced in the House of Commons on 21 February 2018 by Jeremy Hunt, the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Its purpose is to examine how the healthcare system in England responds to reports about harmful side effects from medicines and medical devices and to consider how to respond to them more quickly and effectively in the future. The Review was asked to investigate what had happened in respect of two medications and one medical device: hormone pregnancy tests (HPTs) – tests, such as Primodos, which were withdrawn from the market in the late 1970s and which are thought to be associated with birth defects and miscarriages; sodium valproate – an effective anti-epileptic drug which causes physical malformations, autism and developmental delay in many children when it is taken by their mothers during pregnancy; and pelvic mesh implants – used in the surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse and to manage stress urinary incontinence. Its use has been linked to crippling, life- changing, complications; and to make recommendations for the future. The Review was prompted by patient-led campaigns that have run for years and, in the cases of valproate and Primodos over decades, drawing active support from their respective All-Party Parliamentary Groups and the media.
-
News Article
Take part in a conception & pregnancy study COVID-19
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
CAP-COVID are conducting essential research on how the COVID-19 pandemic affects pregnant women and their babies. If you are a pregnant woman at any stage of pregnancy, you can take part in the study. This includes whether you have just had a positive pregnancy test (even if you are unsure what to do about your pregnancy), whether you are in the middle of pregnancy, or you are about to have your baby. Take part -
Content Article
Risks of CTG monitoring
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Maternity
This is a series of three articles written by Kirsten Small, a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist in Australia, exploring the risks that flow from the use of intrapartum monitoring. Part 1 Examines evidence of short and long-term physical harms to birthing women relating to higher rates of surgical birth when intrapartum Cardiotocography (CTG) monitoring is used. Part 2 Focuses on possible psychological harms which have been reported relating to CTG use. Part 3 Looks at the possibility that CTG use might cause harm to the baby, while the two previous posts have examined the risk to birthing women. -
News Article
NHS rolls out additional support for pregnant BAME women
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
After new analysis showed pregnant black women were eight times more likely and Asian women four times as likely to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19, the NHS is rolling out additional support for pregnant women of a Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority (BAME) background. Given evidence of the heightened risk to BAME expectant mums, urgent action is being taken in England including increasing uptake of Vitamin D and undertaking outreach in neighbourhoods and communities in their area. Research carried out by Oxford University has shown 55% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with coronavirus are from a BAME background, even though they represent only a quarter of the births in England and Wales. In response, England’s most senior midwife, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, has written to all maternity units in the country calling on them to take four specific actions to minimise avoidable COVID-19 risk for BAME women and their babies. The steps include: Increasing support of at-risk pregnant women – e.g. making sure clinicians have a lower threshold to review, admit and consider multidisciplinary escalation in women from a BAME background. Reaching out and reassuring pregnant BAME women with tailored communications. Ensuring hospitals discuss vitamins, supplements and nutrition in pregnancy with all women. Women low in vitamin D may be more vulnerable to coronavirus so women with darker skin or those who always cover their skin when outside may be at particular risk of vitamin D insufficiency and should consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin D all year. Ensuring all providers record on maternity information systems the ethnicity of every woman, as well as other risk factors, such as living in a deprived area (postcode), co-morbidities, BMI and aged 35 years or over, to identify those most at risk of poor outcomes. Read full story Source: NHE, 29 June 2020 -
News ArticleDoctors fear a rise in stillbirths and babies with impaired growth because pregnant women were too scared to seek help during the pandemic. At a Royal Society of Medicine webinar on pregnancy and Covid, medics expressed concern that women in need of urgent attention had kept away from maternity services, for fear of catching the infection. In other cases, those with worrying symptoms which could mean their baby was at risk may have stayed away because they feared putting pressure on services, doctors said. Dr Maggie Blott, head of obstetrics at the Royal Free London Foundation trust, said: “A lot of the work that we do is is prevention, and a lot of women that we see, turn up for hospital as an emergency - have concerns around abdominal pain, reduced foetal movements, all sorts of things.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Telegraph, 18 June 2020
-
Content ArticleKnight et al. in a study published in the BMJ describe a national cohort of pregnant women admitted to hospital with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the UK, identify factors associated with infection, and describe outcomes, including transmission of infection, for mothers and infants. Most pregnant women admitted to hospital with SARS-CoV-2 infection were in the late second or third trimester, supporting guidance for continued social distancing measures in later pregnancy. Most had good outcomes, and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to infants was uncommon. The high proportion of women from black or minority ethnic groups admitted with infection needs urgent investigation and explanation.
-
News Article
Coronavirus: Risk higher for pregnant BAME women
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The high proportion of pregnant women from black and ethnic minority (BAME) groups admitted to hospital with COVID-19 "needs urgent investigation", says a study in the British Medical Journal. Out of 427 pregnant women studied between March and April, more than half were from these backgrounds - nearly three times the expected number. Most were admitted late in pregnancy and did not become seriously ill. Although babies can be infected, the researchers said this was "uncommon". When other factors such as obesity and age were taken into account, there was still a much higher proportion from ethnic minority groups than expected, the authors said. But the explanation for why BAME pregnant women are disproportionately affected by coronavirus is not simple "or easily solved," says Professor Knight, lead author. "We have to talk to women themselves, as well as health professionals, to give us more of a clue." Gill Walton from the Royal College of Midwives says, "Even before the pandemic, women from black, Asian or ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to die in and around their pregnancy," She said they were "still at unacceptable risk" and getting help and support to affected communities was crucial. Ms Walton added: "The system is failing them and that has got to change quickly, because they matter, their lives matter and they deserve the best and safest care." Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 June 2020- Posted
- 2 comments
-
- (and 3 more)
-
Content Article
Patient safety and maternal mental health during covid
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Mental health
Patient Safety Learning interviews Jules Mckoy, a Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Midwife. In this interview, Jules highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting on the mental health of women during their pregnancy and after birth. She describes some of the ways they are trying to alleviate anxiety locally and raises concerns about the longer term implications of a rise in postnatal depression. -
News Article
International Day of the Midwife 2020
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Today is International Day of the Midwife. Each year since 1992, the International Confederation of Midwives leads global recognition and celebration of the great work midwives do. Take a look at some of the resources and blogs we have recently published on the hub highlighting the work midwives are doing to support mothers and families during the coronavirus pandemic and the challenges services face. Home births, fears and patient safety amid COVID-19 Midwifery during COVID-19: A personal account Guidance for provision of midwife-led settings and home birth in the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Birthrights: COVID-19 -
Content ArticleThis resource from Best Beginnings provides information about many national and local charities offering remote support for pregnant families and new paretns during COVID-19. The list includes organisations offering support and advice around: Pregnancy and birth Health conditions in pregnancy Parents of twins, triplets and more Premature Unwell babies Babies with disabilities or health conditions Breastfeeding and infant nutrition Mental health Bereavement Birth trauma.
-
Content ArticleGood quality midwifery care saves the lives of women and babies. Continuity of midwife carer (CMC), a key component of good quality midwifery care, results in better clinical outcomes, higher care satisfaction and enhanced caregiver experience. However, CMC uptake has tended to be small scale or transient. McInnes et al. used realist evaluation in one Scottish health board to explore implementation of CMC as part of the Scottish Government 2017 maternity plan.
