Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI)’s Post

According to the MiROG study, 13% of maternity services currently provide informational leaflets on birth choices that fall outside standard guidelines. This highlights an important area of need identified by MNSI investigations, which emphasise the value of accessible resources for those considering such birth plans. Ensuring that individuals seeking care outside of national or local have access to clear, supportive, and evidence-based information is essential for empowering informed decision-making. By expanding resources and guidance on alternative options, the maternity workforce can play a crucial role in supporting safe and individualised care pathways for all birthing individuals.

Some really important reading.

Yesterday the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Birth Trauma launched a new inquiry report. The APPG identified the following common themes: - Failure to listen; - Lack of informed consent; - Poor communication; - Lack of pain relief; - Lack of kindness; - Breastfeeding problems; - Poor postnatal care; - The impact of Covid; and - Complaints and medical negligence. The APPG have made a set of recommendations that aim to address the problems they identified and "work towards a maternity system that is woman-centred and where poor care is the exception rather than the rule". These recommendations are lengthy, with the key focus being on: training and retention of staff; outlining birth options and risks; and postnatal support and services including for mental health for both women and partners. Inevitably, the report won't reflect everyone's birth experience nor the approach of so many NHS staff delivering excellent antenatal, delivery and postnatal services whose dedication, kindness and support will have been significant to many women and their partners. Nevertheless, those of us who have handled claims in this area will recognise the issues raised in the report and understand that there are always lessons which can be learned and improvements which can be made. Whilst the focus of the report is on NHS maternity services, it is an important read for everyone involved in the delivery of healthcare services, clinical governance and/or those handling medical malpractice claims as many of the above themes will be applicable to other services across the NHS and independent healthcare sectors.

how vital important is to nurture trust as health care professionals towards women and birthing people

A powerful paper from colleagues in the UK - Perinatal women’s views and experiences of discussing suicide in maternity care settings: A qualitative study This paper adds specific insights of perinatal women’s views regarding the barriers, facilitators, and implications of identifying and disclosing suicidality in maternity care settings. These insights are important for the development of appropriate approaches for identifying women who may require support during pregnancy or after birth. https://lnkd.in/gq2wHcga

Last week, the poll inside our Parent Sense app shed some light on the C-section rate in South Africa. The results were eye-opening! ___________________ We asked our users: "Did you / are you having a planned CS, an emergency CS, planning a normal vaginal birth, or had a normal vaginal birth?" What we found was astonishing: What probably jumps out at you (especially for those not from South Africa), is that a whopping 72% of respondents reported having had or planned to have a C-section! And the fact is that this IS the average c-section rate in the private sector in South Africa, and in some cases, it's even higher (based on hospital, obstetrician and demographic)! But what really caught my attention was the number of women who planned for a normal vaginal delivery (NVD) but ended up having an unplanned C-section: a staggering 31%! This statistic raises two important points: Firstly, the World Health Organization recommends a C-section rate of 10-15%, for maternal and infant safety. So I would hazard a guess that at least 25% of the 31% who planned to have a vaginal delivery had c-sections that may not have been necessary and carry risk. And potentially they would have preferred to give birth naturally... Secondly, can we impact this statistic through better support in pregnancy, antenatal classes, and better support during birth? By educating and empowering expectant mothers, can we reduce the number of unnecessary C-sections and promote a safer, more natural birth experience? Interested to hear your thoughts, Salome Maswime Jude Igumbor Nhlanhla Zulu Dr Mama-Asu Koranteng-Peprah Dr Lizl Badenhorst (MBChB, Adv Dipl HSML) Howard P Manyonga Simon Strachan Lynne Bluff Timor Lifschitz Annika Järvelin Louise Archary Dr Diana du Plessis Anna King Nicolene Laubscher Amy Green Mike Marinus Onkgopotse Khumalo Paul Sinclair Marié van Heerden Marianne Littlejohn Samantha Bader Sascha Edelstein Dr Augusta Dorning #Csectionrate #SouthAfrica #ParentSense #NaturalBirth #SupportInPregnancy

In a monumental step toward improving maternal and newborn care, this week, on Wednesday, December 18th, Migori County launched the Birth Companion Inclusion Strategy which ensures that TBAs—caregivers who have supported women in their communities for generations—will have a place in the formal health workforce. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁? 1) TBAs are trusted caregivers with years of experience. With proper training, they can become skilled health workers, supporting women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and after. 2) The Birth Companion Inclusion Strategy aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure good health and well-being for all. By integrating TBAs into the health system, it lays the foundation for safer deliveries, improved healthcare access, and better outcomes for mothers and babies in Migori and across Kenya. Lwala is proud to be part of this journey. Our long-standing commitment to improving maternal and child health drives our partnership, and bringing TBAs into the health system is a major step forward in improving healthcare for everyone in Migori County. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/duZ2HiRF

Dexter: Maternal Health    Dexter is delighted to announce our involvement in a grant recently awarded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The grant focuses on tackling inequalities in maternal health outcomes across the UK, covering the periods before, during, and after pregnancy. The consortium’s goal is to build research capacity to improve maternal care and outcomes.    At Dexter, we are proud to support this important initiative by automating key tasks and leveraging electronic health records to enhance research and care delivery. Together, we aim to make a meaningful impact on maternal health.     https://lnkd.in/e2Q6GxPg 

Addressing the "postpartum cliff" may be as simple as sending a few text messages. A recent study highlights how targeted SMS reminders can significantly improve postpartum care follow-up rates. The study found that 40% of new mothers who received these messages completed their primary care visits, compared to just 22% who did not receive any messages. At FemBridge, we recognize the importance of continuous care for new mothers. By integrating automated interventions and reducing administrative burdens, we can better support maternal health and ensure a smoother transition from pregnancy to primary care. https://lnkd.in/eWZNXeDr

How do we stop services failing pregnant women, birthing people and their babies? We’re delighted Georgia Stevenson, Data and Evidence Lead at our Joint Policy Unit with Sands - baby loss charity, will be speaking at a fringe event at the Lib Dem conference tomorrow. Georgia will join Helen Morgan MP, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for baby loss, and Dr Mohsin Khan, NHS doctor and chair of the Lib Dem Campaign for Race Equality. They’ll discuss the gaps that exist in maternity care in the UK, which mean some women and birthing people are at greater risk of pregnancy complications or baby loss due to their ethnicity, socioeconomic background or where they live. They’ll be looking at how to reduce these unacceptable inequalities and improve care for all. Last year, the Joint Policy Unit published the first ever Saving Babies' Lives Progress Report, which brought together key data on pregnancy and baby loss across the UK. Sadly, the report showed there's a long way to go to make safe pregnancy and birth a reality for all. But, we believe with Government behind us, progress is possible. Read more about the report: https://bit.ly/49RCEEA. As the leading pregnancy and baby charity, we're committed to working with Government and policymakers to stop the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss and make pregnancy and birth safe for all. Only by coming together to drive change, and by continuing to invest in research and improvements in care, can we tackle the current unacceptable inequalities so everyone has the same opportunity to have a positive pregnancy experience and to take a healthy baby home.