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Found 472 results
  1. Content Article
    As part of maternal mental health awareness week, The Motherhood Group asked Sandra Igwe for her tips to look after your mental health and wellbeing.
  2. Content Article
    The Mental Health Foundation proudly support Black Maternal Mental Health Week in this blog for The Motherhood Group on the experiences of Black mothers.
  3. Content Article
    In general approximately 1 in 5 women from all different backgrounds experience perinatal mental health difficulties – that is mental health challenges during the perinatal period which is defined as one year after the birth of a baby. However, for black women perinatal mental health difficulties often go unidentified, and thus untreated, placing them at a disadvantage when it comes to seeking professional help. For this year's Black Maternal Mental Health Week, Global Black Maternal Health is proud to support The Motherhood Group as they continue to raise awareness on black maternal mental health, with a focus on equity and inequality for black mothers.
  4. Content Article
    An open letter to Brandon Lewis, the justice secretary, and the Sentencing Council for England and Wales warns that pregnant women in jail suffer severe stress and highlights evidence suggesting they are more likely to have a stillbirth. The signatories include the Royal College of Midwives and Liberty.
  5. Content Article
    In this article for The Guardian, journalist Sirin Kale speaks to Janet Williams about the impact the epilepsy drug sodium valproate has had on her family. Janet took the medication to treat her epilepsy throughout her two pregnancies in 1989 and 1991, but had never been warned about the potential risks to her babies. Foetal valproate syndrome can cause spina bifida, congenital heart defects and developmental delays and is believed to have affected around 20,000 children in the UK. Both of Janet's sons were affected by the medication and require full time care as a result. Janet describes how being told about the risks would have enabled her to make an informed decision about whether to have children, and how her experience led her to help set up In-FACT (the Independent Fetal Anti Convulsant Trust) in 2012.
  6. Content Article
    This guide is designed to support healthcare providers when talking to patients about the use of of oxytocin to start or advance labour.
  7. News Article
    More than half of maternity units in England fail consistently to meet safety standards, BBC analysis of official statistics shows. Health regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rates 7% of units as posing a high risk of avoidable harm. A further 48% require improvement. The figures are slightly worse than a few years ago, despite several attempts to transform maternity care. The regulator says the pace of improvement has been disappointing. In most cases, pregnancy and birth are a positive and safe experience for women and their families, says the CQC. But when things do go wrong, it is important to understand what happened and whether the outcome could have been different. Laura Ellis lost her newborn son when he was unexpectedly breech during advanced labour. She checked out the CQC rating of her local hospital, Frimley Park, when she was pregnant. Maternity services were good. But Laura didn't realise the unit had been told that it required improvement on safety. Laura said: "It was just so hard. So hard to deal with. So hard to leave as well. How would you leave your baby in hospital when you should be taking them home?" Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust says it has made a number of changes since Theo died, including an emergency response if a baby is unexpectedly breech during advanced labour. Read full story Source: BBC News, 21 September 2022
  8. News Article
    Moments after unveiling a bill that would ban all abortions in the United States at 15 weeks, US Senator Lindsey Graham was interrupted by a mother with a devastating story. "I did everything right and at 16 weeks we found out that our son would likely not live," Ashbey Beasley told a crowded room. "When he was born, for eight days he bled from every orifice of his body," she said. But, she said, at least she got to choose how to handle her difficult pregnancy, while Mr Graham's law would take away that choice. "What do you say to someone like me?" Since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade this summer, states across the US have pushed through abortion bans or severely restricted the procedure. But as such laws have gone into effect, unintended consequences have followed. Doctors and patients say that confusing standards and the vague language of these laws have had a chilling effect on the medical field in anti-abortion states, leaving tragedies in their wake - and more in the making. For the last year, Amanda Horton, a Texas doctor who specialises in high-risk pregnancies, has struggled to care for patients with pregnancy complications. At times, Dr Horton must inform families that their babies have been diagnosed with a fatal foetal anomaly. These conditions are rare and likely to lead to the death of a foetus in utero, or shortly after birth. But under a strict abortion ban in Texas, her hands are tied. Read full story Source: BBC News, 17 September 2022
  9. Content Article
    Midwives, public health nurses and practice nurses are in an ideal position to address mental health and emotional well-being with women in the perinatal period. However, research involving midwives, public health nurses and practice nurses in Ireland indicates that there is considerable variation in perinatal mental health assessment and care. All three groups identify the following issues as barriers to addressing perinatal mental health issues: Lack of knowledge on the range of perinatal mental health problems Lack of skill in opening a discussion and developing a plan of care with women Organisational issues, such as lack of policies, guidelines and care pathways This document produced by the Irish Health Service Executive, aims to provide an evidence-based guidance document for midwives, public health nurses and practice nurses in the area of perinatal mental health care.
  10. News Article
    The midwife leading a review into failings by Nottingham's maternity services said the scope was wider than the UK's biggest maternity scandal. Donna Ockenden previously led the review at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust that found failings led to the deaths of more than 200 babies. The terms of reference for the review in Nottingham were set out on Tuesday. A category of severe maternal harm has been added to include cases that did not lead to a death or injury. Earlier this year Ms Ockenden completed her inquiry into the UK's biggest maternity scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust. She said the scope of the review in Nottingham was wider because an additional category had been added to the investigation. It aims to identify cases of severe maternal harm, like an unexpected admission to intensive care or a major obstetric haemorrhage. Ms Ockenden said: "We felt adding in the category of severe maternal harm would help us to understand women's experiences and help us to learn and help the trust to learn from those cases as well. "So actually there's been a widening of the scope which our review team felt was important and when we tested it out with some families they felt it was important too. "Perhaps there's a mum out there saying 'well I'm ok, and my baby's ok, but x,w,z of my maternity experience really worried me or frightened me' then she can send in her experiences." She said fathers could also send in their experiences. Read full story Source: BBC News, 14 September 2022
  11. Content Article
    Unsafe maternity care has cost the National Health Service in England (NHS) £8.2bn in 15 years. How many more surveys of women’s experiences, reports of poor quality care and failings of senior management at NHS maternity units do we need to know that there is still a massive problem with maternity services in England? Judy Shakespeare, Elizabeth Duff and Debra Bick discuss why a joined-up policy and investment in maternity services is urgently needed.
  12. News Article
    More than 350 families have already contacted a review team which is examining failings at maternity units in two Nottingham hospitals. The review was opened on 1 September by Donna Ockenden, who previously led an inquiry into the maternity scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust. She will examine how dozens of babies died or were injured in Nottingham. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised for "unimaginable distress" caused by its failings. More affected families, as well as staff with concerns, have been asked to come forward. Ms Ockenden said: "We are really pleased with the large numbers of families and staff that have already come forward in the first week of the review, and we actively encourage others to do the same." Read full story Source: BBC News, 12 September 2022
  13. Content Article
    This is an Early Day Motion tabled in the House of Commons on 5 September 2022, which calls on the Government to implement the recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review in full, in particular recommendation 4 of the report calling for the establishment of separate schemes to meet the costs of additional care and support to those who have suffered avoidable harm.
  14. Content Article
    Research suggests that there is a wide gap in knowledge about how medical conditions affect men and women differently, and about the conditions that only affect women. As a result, women are receiving poorer medical advice and diagnosis, often leading to worse outcomes. This handbook published by digital healthcare provider Livi looks at some of the evidence surrounding sex-based health inequalities and how they are affecting women in the UK.
  15. News Article
    Senior health officials are to face questioning over why pregnant women are still being prescribed sodium valproate despite its known risks as a cause of birth defects or developmental delays. Campaigners for families affected by the drug will also give evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee in a one-off session later this month. Alongside campaigners on sodium valproate, the Committee will also hear from campaigners from Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests and on behalf of “Sling the Mesh” campaign. MPs will examine government progress on recommendations made in the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety (IMMDS) Review, which specifically looked into sodium valproate, hormone pregnancy tests and vaginal mesh. An update by Ministers on progress to implement the government’s response was due this summer. A Minister from the Department of Health and Social Care has been invited to appear before the Committee. The IMMDS Review’s report called for better communication to inform women of the risks of sodium valproate in pregnancy. Despite an NHS ‘valproate pregnancy prevention programme’, 247 women since April 2018 were found to have been prescribed the drug in a month in which they were pregnant, 25 as recently as April to September last year. Health and Social Care Committee Chair Jeremy Hunt MP said: “It is incredibly concerning to know that women of child-bearing age can still be prescribed the epilepsy drug sodium valproate despite its known risks as a cause of birth defects or developmental delays. It has been two years since Baroness Cumberlege called for urgent action to prevent this happening. However, dozens of pregnant women were prescribed the drug last year while data published last month has shown that safety requirements were not being fully met. We’re calling in a Minister and senior health officials as well as campaigners to address our concerns.” Read full story Source: UK Parliament, 2 September 2022
  16. News Article
    A troubled acute trust has been sent a further warning notice after inspectors found severe shortages of midwives were causing dangerous delays to labour inductions. During one day in June, the Care Quality Commission found eight high-risk women at Blackpool Victoria Hospital had waited prolonged time periods for their labour to be induced. They said one woman had waited five days, while another who was forced to wait more than two days despite her waters having broken on the ward. Delays to labour induction can lead to serious safety risks for mothers and babies. The hospital’s maternity services, previously rated “good” for safety, have now been rated “inadequate” in this domain. The overall rating for maternity has dropped to “requires improvement”. The problems were caused by severe shortages of midwives at the hospital, which had struggled to bring in agency staff due to a lack of availability in the area. However, inspectors also said there was a lack of any discussion or attention to the issues within the trust, despite the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch previously highlighting concerns. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 1 September 2022
  17. News Article
    Covid vaccination advice in pregnancy has not changed, contrary to false social media posts, UK health agencies have clarified. Inaccurate messages shared by thousands claimed that pregnant or breastfeeding women were now recommended not to take the vaccine. In fact, the NHS says the vaccine is both safe and strongly recommended for this group. The misleading claim came from a now out-of-date document from 2020. The document went viral after a Twitter user - whose account has since been suspended - shared a post stating incorrectly that the UK government had, "quietly remove[d] approval for use of Covid vax in pregnant and breastfeeding women". She linked to a report from December 2020 which said, "reassurance of safe use of the vaccine in pregnant women cannot be provided at the present time", because of an absence of data and that, "women who are breastfeeding should also not be vaccinated". This was true at the time, but since then data has been gathered finding no link between the vaccine and problems in pregnancy or birth. In fact, the Covid vaccine seems to reduce the risk of still-birth and pre-term delivery. And unvaccinated pregnant women are more likely to need hospital treatment if they catch Covid, especially in the third trimester. This evidence led to the recommendation being changed - so the statement found in this report no longer stands. Read full story Source: BBC News, 1 September 2022
  18. News Article
    Major concerns are being raised about the Irish State’s failure to set up an inquiry into a drug that caused serious birth defects and developmental delays in at least 1,200 Irish babies. Sodium valproate, a drug used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder, has been estimated to have caused major malformations in up to 341 Irish children between 1975 and 2015 after it was taken by their mothers during pregnancy. The drug, which is sold in Ireland as Epilim, is also believed to have caused neuro-developmental delays in 1,250 children. Many women were never warned of the risks that taking the drug during pregnancy would pose to their babies. Read full story Source: The Irish Independent
  19. Content Article
    In this article, Maryanne Demasi looks at the continued prescription of Makena, an injectable synthetic hormone approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to women who are at high-risk of premature delivery. Makena claims to reduce the risk of pre-term birth and was approved in 2011 on an accelerated pathway by the FDA following an initial trial that showed positive outcomes. However, Demasi explains, the study has been discredited as flawed in its methods and findings, and a confirmatory trial conducted by the manufacturer showed that Makena does not actually prevent preterm birth. In spite of this, and in the face of known risks, Makena is still being prescribed to pregnant women as the manufacturer has refused to withdraw it from the market. She highlights the dangers of the FDA not taking stronger action against the manufacturer of Makena, by looking at the example of Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic hormone use by women from the 1930's to the 1970s to prevent miscarriages and premature births. DES was later found to cause cancers, immune and cardiovascular disorders and other abnormalities in pregnant women, their children and their grandchildren.
  20. News Article
    Dozens of referrals to specialist care for women with serious mental health problems during or after pregnancy are being turned down because no bed was available, data collected by HSJ reveals. HSJ submitted freedom of information requests to 19 trusts running mother and baby units (MBUs) – which are inpatient services where women who experience serious mental health problems during or after pregnancy can stay with their child – asking for the “total number of referrals… which could not be admitted because no bed was available”. Although all of the 19 trusts HSJ sent freedom of information requests to responded, many said they did not hold this information. However, five – Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust, Essex Partnership University FT, Greater Manchester Mental Health FT, Hertfordshire Partnership University FT, and Nottinghamshire Healthcare FT – together identified 197 referrals which were rejected. Greater Manchester identified a further three which were turned down in the calendar year 2022, although it did not specify which financial year this was. Several experts told HSJ the figures reflected a lack of capacity for mothers with serious mental health problems. Maternal Mental Health Alliance campaign manager Karen Middleton said MBUs offered “the best outcomes” for new mothers who needed inpatient treatment". Ms Middleton continued: “When a much-needed MBU bed isn’t available, women instead face admission to general adult psychiatric wards, separating them from their newborn babies at a crucially important time for relationship development. These wards lack appropriate facilities and expertise to support postnatal mothers with their specific physical and emotional needs.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 16 August 2022
  21. News Article
    Only a quarter of patients on valproate, who do not have appropriate contraception, are being referred by their pharmacist to their GP or a specialist about the issue, an audit carried out by NHS England has found. A report on the 2019/2020 Pharmacy Quality Scheme Valproate Audit — which was carried out in community pharmacies across England — published on 11 August 2022, has indicated that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA’s) safety requirements for use of valproate in women and girls of childbearing age, and trans men who are biologically able to be pregnant, are “still not being fully met”. Since 2018, the MHRA has advised that valproate, a treatment for epilepsy and bipolar disorder, must not be used in anyone of childbearing potential, unless a Pregnancy Prevention Plan (PPP) is in place. As part of a PPP, pharmacists are required to remind patients of the risks of taking sodium valproate in pregnancy and the need for highly effective contraception; ensure patients have been given the patient guide; and remind patients of the need for an annual specialist review. However, the audit, which was conducted by 10,293 community pharmacies in England, including responses from 12,068 patients and patient representatives, found that pharmacists were not referring or signposting “a sizeable minority”, who appeared to be without appropriate contraception, back to the prescriber. The report said that community pharmacists should refer “all people aged 12–55 who are biologically able to be pregnant and have not had their valproate medication reviewed within the last 12 months to their GP or specialist, as well as to local contraception services as appropriate”. For patients not referred to their GP or specialist, the report said that the pharmacist should be able to confirm that the patient is fully informed, understands the risks of not using highly effective contraception and knows who to contact if their circumstances change. Read full story Source: The Pharmaceutical Journal, 12 August 2022
  22. News Article
    Almost 200 maternity units in England will be inspected by the Care Quality Commission amid fears for mothers and babies’ safety and concerns that improvements are not happening fast enough. The commission is taking the unusual step as NHS England faces accusations of pressuring hospitals to reorganise the way midwives work when they lack the staff to do it safely. The new model of care, which is designed to provide mothers with a dedicated midwife throughout pregnancy, has been introduced only partially across the NHS, leading to a two-tier service in which hospital wards are left short of staff and women face potentially dangerous delays. Under “continuity of carer”, midwives work in teams and are on call for specific mothers when they go into labour. But this can leave hospital wards understaffed and women not included in the programme waiting for a midwife. NHS England is pushing hospitals to make this the default model of care by March 2024 despite a warning by Donna Ockenden, who led the inquiry into baby deaths at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, and who said in her final report that introduction of the new model should be suspended if services lack enough staff. Read full story Source: The Times, 14 August 2022 Further reading - Midwifery continuity of carer resources on the hub.
  23. News Article
    The NHS has been hit by a shortage of epidural kits to give mothers-to-be, a key form of pain relief during childbirth, as well as the drug that women are offered as an alternative. Supplies of epidural kits and the painkiller Remifentanil are now under such pressure that some hospitals cannot offer pregnant women their usual right to choose which one they want to reduce labour pains. Anaesthetists have told the Guardian that the simultaneous shortage of both forms of pain management has led to “difficult discussions” with women who had been told during their antenatal care that they would have that choice but were upset to learn that it was not available. The disruption to supplies of epidural kits is so acute that NHS Supply Chain (NHSSC), the health service body that ensures hospitals in England and Wales receive regular supplies of drugs and equipment, to ration deliveries to just one week’s worth of stock. Childbirth organisations voiced their concern and warned that the disruption to supplies meant some women in labour were already facing long delays before they received pain relief. “Offering a choice of options during birth is an integral element of good maternity care, and this includes pain relief. It is concerning that the shortage of epidural kits and Remifentanil could be denying many that right”, said Jo Corfield, the NCT’s head of communications and campaigns. “We don’t yet fully understand the impact this shortage is having but we have heard of long waiting times to receive pain relief and epidurals.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 August 2022
  24. News Article
    On 24 June the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, the 1973 decision that legalised abortion and left the regulation of abortion to the states.4 At present, about half of the 50 states ban or severely limit abortions, but the picture is changing daily as century old bans go into place in some states, bans are challenged in courts, and state legislatures debate changes to their laws. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said, “Each piece of legislation is different, using different language and rationales. State legislators are taking it upon themselves to define complex medical concepts without reference to medical evidence. Some of the penalties for violating these vague, unscientific laws include criminal sentences.” Doctors report being confused and fearful about how they can continue to practise in states where abortion laws are changing day by day and sometimes hour by hour. Katie McHugh, an obstetrician and gynaecologist in Indianapolis, where abortion until 20 weeks is legal for the moment, told The BMJ about a patient who arrived from another state (around 200 miles away) with a miscarriage. “A fetal heartbeat could still be detected. The local hospital sent her home and told her to come back if she became very sick.” Instead she travelled two and a half hours by car to McHugh. “I don’t blame the physicians in [the other state]. I don’t know if abortion is legal now a trigger law is in effect. They could face lawsuits. As a physician, it’s unacceptable to have to watch the news to know what’s legal and how to practise,” said McHugh. Read full story Source: BMJ, 1 August 2022
  25. News Article
    A change in pre-eclampsia testing for pregnant women could help save lives. The potentially-fatal condition affects around 6% of women, often during the second half of pregnancy. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) had recommended a test that could only rule out the condition, but now recommends more accurate tests that can diagnose cases. The Welsh government welcomed the new guidance, but said routine screening had not been recommended. Jeanette Kusel, director for scientific advice at NICE, said: "These tests represent a step change in the management and treatment of pre eclampsia. "New evidence presented to the committee shows that these tests can help successfully diagnose pre eclampsia, alongside clinical information for decision-making, rather than just rule it out. "This is extremely valuable to doctors and expectant mothers as now they can have increased confidence in their treatment plans and preparing for a safe birth" Eleri Wyn Foxhall, 32, from Penygroes in Gwynedd had pre-eclampsia in 2020. She welcomes the move, but called for women to be tested routinely. She believes there is a general "lack of information" about pre-eclampsia, and wants more work to be done on early detection. Read full story Source: BBC News, 26 July 2022
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