This section of the site aims to keep you up to date with news stories. ChiMat does not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.
Sharing a bed with a newborn increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome fivefold, research claims.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 21/05/2013
Following publication today (21 May) in BMJ Open of a new paper on the link between bed-sharing and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative has issued a statement. This includes key points ...
Publisher: UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
Published Date: 21/05/2013
All pregnant women could be tested to see if they are smoking according to proposals from the body which issues guidance to the NHS. Discussion broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday 13 May 2013 including t ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 13/05/2013
Figures published by Public Health England (PHE) [May 2012] show that confirmed cases of whooping cough in England have continued to decrease in 2013 with 434 cases reported in March.
Publisher: Public Health England (PHE)
Published Date: 10/05/2013
This letter explains the continuation of the temporary programme for whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination for pregnant women.
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 10/05/2013
Flu during pregnancy may increase the risk of the unborn child developing bipolar disorder later in life, research suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/05/2013
Doctors are "holding their breath" as they await the outcome of a pregnancy of a Turkish woman who has had a uterus transplant.
Publisher: The Guardian
Published Date: 03/05/2013
Expectant mothers in England experience wide variations in their quality of care, says a report by doctors.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 02/05/2013
Why do some women have easy births while others have long, traumatic labours that end with an emergency delivery? Investigating how the womb works is the priority at a new research centre dedicated to understanding the p ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 28/04/2013
Cutting the umbilical cord immediately after birth - currently standard practice - puts the baby at risk of iron deficiency, experts say. Official guidelines are currently being examined - and professionals and campaigne ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 26/04/2013
Light drinking during pregnancy does not harm child behavioural or mental development, reports the journal BJOG.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 17/04/2013
Overweight and obese women are more likely to require specialist medical care during their pregnancy due to the increased risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes, finds a new study published by BJOG.
Publisher: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Published Date: 27/03/2013
Times have changed and it is now rare that a man does not attend the birth of his baby, but how did it come to pass and could things ever change back?
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 14/03/2013
Some pregnant women are being denied a routine treatment to protect their unborn child, say investigators.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 13/03/2013
Calming the immune system will be a vital part of preventing premature labour, say UK academics.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 05/03/2013
The new issue (January - February 2013) of the UK NSC's Screening Matters newsletter is now available online, with the latest screening policy information, as well as updates on the English national screening programmes ...
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC)
Published Date: 01/03/2013
It is estimated that around a quarter of pregnancies in the UK end in miscarriage.
According to the Miscarriage Association it is not a topic that couples talk about. It hopes an awareness campaign will encourage peo ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 25/02/2013
Daytime temperatures this winter in Stockholm have regularly dropped to -5C (23F) but it's still common to see children left outside by their parents for a sleep in the pram.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 25/02/2013
One of the most difficult decisions for a bereaved parent is whether to have a post mortem or not. The Universities of Manchester and Central Lancashire, in collaboration with Sands, are undertaking a survey of parents w ...
Publisher: Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society)
Published Date: 20/02/2013
More than 100,000 people have already signed up to receive online advice about looking after their baby – and a quarter of these are fathers.
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 18/02/2013
Maternity units in Wales may be operating with less than the recommended number of staff, a report by assembly members warns.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 12/02/2013
Commenting on births figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “To see the number of women giving birth at home continuing ...
Publisher: The Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 08/02/2013
Pregnant women who live in areas with significant air pollution risk having babies of low birth weight, the largest study to date suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 06/02/2013
Pregnant women aged over 40 should be given the option of being induced early to reduce the risks of losing their baby, says a paper from Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 01/02/2013
An app is being developed to help women choose where to give birth.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 28/01/2013
Women in Wales are having children later in life than ever before. Latest figures show that while the number of births in Wales is up overall, the group seeing the biggest rise is mothers aged 40 and over.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 27/01/2013
A share of a £25 million fund to improve the birthing environments in more than 100 hospitals has been announced.
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 24/01/2013
Commenting on plans for reorganisation of NHS services in South London, Jacque Gerrard, Director for England at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “The biggest impact of this will fall on the women of Lewisham. It is n ...
Publisher: The Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 24/01/2013
The Lancet Neurology has published research today suggesting that taking the anti-epileptic drug valproate during pregnancy affects the IQ of children up to the age of six.
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 23/01/2013
The Chief Medical Officer and the Director for Public Health Nursing are today restating longstanding advice about the best practice when preparing formula milks, as set out by the Department of Health and the Food Stand ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 23/01/2013
Over half of unplanned pregnancies happen because people are not using sufficient contraception, a survey has found.
Publisher: The Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 22/01/2013
England is seeing a massive increase in its birth rate which is putting a strain on the NHS, midwives warn.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 21/01/2013
Best Beginnings is undertaking a two-month pilot of the Bump Buddy and Baby Buddy phone apps amongst Guy’s and St Thomas’ community midwives in the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. The apps are designed to suppo ...
Publisher: Best Beginnings
Published Date: 21/01/2013
The new issue (November - December 2012) of the UK NSC's Screening Matters newsletter is now available, with the latest screening policy information, as well as updates on the English national screening programmes and cr ...
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC)
Published Date: 15/01/2013
Women are being asked to take part in a research project to find out how regular exercise influences pregnancy.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 12/01/2013
Women who have had weight loss surgery should wait at least a year before trying for a baby, experts have warned.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 11/01/2013
An investigation is to be carried out into how Scotland's teenage pregnancy rate can be further reduced.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 07/01/2013
Pregnancy is a huge, life-changing period in a woman's life and there is no shortage of advice about what is best for your unborn child. In this week's Scrubbing Up, Linda Geddes, the author of Bumpology, argues this can ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 03/01/2013
Pregnant women should be careful to avoid close contact with animals giving birth, the Government has advised. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department of Health and the Health and Safety Execut ...
Publisher: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
Published Date: 31/12/2012
The December 2012 issue of the Vaccine Update bulletin is now available. This issue covers the encouraging uptake of whooping cough vaccine in pregnant women, and takes a look back at 2012 and forward to 2013.
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 18/12/2012
Start4Life, the sister brand to Change4Life, has launched a free booklet for all pregnant mums to help them keep healthy throughout pregnancy and beyond.
Publisher: Department of Health
Published Date: 15/12/2012
Too many babies born with a cleft palate are being diagnosed late, causing unnecessary distress, the Royal College of Surgeons says.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 13/12/2012
NHS Change Day is described as "one day during which the collective energy, creativity and ideas of thousands of NHS staff, in all areas of work and right across the country, will demonstrate how one simple action or new ...
Publisher: NHS Institute
Published Date: 13/12/2012
Uptake of the whooping cough vaccine in pregnant mothers has been "extraordinarily good" in England, the Department of Health says.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 11/12/2012
The Friends and Family Test has been included in the Government’s mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board. Making sure that people have a positive experience of care is a key requirement in the Mandate, published on 13 No ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 05/12/2012
The Department has issued a letter providing guidance on the total amount allocated to PCTs relating to the implementation of the temporary pertussis vaccination programme for pregnant women that was announced in the CMO ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 04/12/2012
Mums are breastfeeding their babies for longer, with one in three still breastfeeding in some capacity at six months, new figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show today. However, the number ...
Publisher: The Information Centre for health and social care
Published Date: 20/11/2012
"Any wine and kid’s a plonker," was The Sun headline on 15 November, and the BBC reports that "Moderate drinking in pregnancy 'harms IQ'". This ‘Behind the headlines’ article examines the evidence behind the reports.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 15/11/2012
England faces the biggest baby boom in 40 years as up to 20,000 more are expected to be born this year than last, putting enormous strain on NHS maternity services, the Royal College of Midwives is warning.
Publisher: The Telegraph
Published Date: 12/11/2012
Double beds could be installed in NHS hospitals to encourage fathers to be more involved in childbirth. The double beds would allow new fathers to remain close to their partner and baby immediately after childbirth, rath ...
Publisher: The Telegraph
Published Date: 12/11/2012
Cutbacks are hitting maternity services across the country just as the decade-long baby boom is starting to take off again, according to information released by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 12/11/2012
A new vaccination programme, planned to begin in September 2013, will see children under 4 months vaccinated against the highly infectious rotavirus. Causing around 140,000 diarrhoea cases a year in the under-5s, rotavir ...
Publisher: Department of Health
Published Date: 10/11/2012
Bliss supporter and actress Anna Marie Wayne has recorded a special World Prematurity Day video as part of her ongoing series It’s me Anna Marie. In her video she talks about her own experience of having her daughter nin ...
Publisher: Bliss
Published Date: 09/11/2012
"Fertility predicted by mother's age at menopause," proclaims BBC News. This 'Behind the headlines' report examines the evidence behind this report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 07/11/2012
Plans have been set out to help people keep well this winter and help the NHS prepare for winter and meet the increase in winter-related health problems always seen at this time of year. The Department of Health’s measur ...
Publisher: Department of Health
Published Date: 03/11/2012
This month’s edition features:
More and more parents sign up to NHS Information Service for Parents
2011 update of stillbirths in the West MidlandsHealthy Start vitamin distribution from April 2013
Children and Young ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 31/10/2012
Being obese increases the risk of preterm birth, with the heaviest women (body mass index of 40 or more) nearly twice as likely to deliver before 37 weeks of gestation as women whose weight was normal, a study has found.
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 31/10/2012
A joint initiative has been launched to help midwives in Scotland spot the warning signs and prevent homelessness amongst pregnant women.
Publisher:
Published Date: 30/10/2012
Doctors in Hull have saved the life of a pregnant woman and her baby with a pioneering treatment that uses fibre from seaweed.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 26/10/2012
According to figures published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 1,322 cases of whooping cough (pertussis) were reported in England and Wales in September 2012, bringing the total number of cases so far this year to ...
Publisher: Health Protection Agency
Published Date: 25/10/2012
Every newborn baby in Scotland will receive a classical CD to inspire a love of music. Recent studies have shown that listening to music has a positive impact on young children's cognitive development, the Royal Scottish ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 11/10/2012
Out of 750 babies born before 24 weeks in the womb, 92 lived for at least a year, the infant mortality data from the Office of National Statistics show.
Publisher: The Telegraph
Published Date: 11/10/2012
A premature baby died and 12 others were given treatment after an outbreak of a water-borne bacterium at a Bristol neonatal unit, it has been confirmed.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/10/2012
Pregnant women and children have been warned against eating game such as pheasant, deer and grouse killed with lead shot because it could pose a serious risk to their health. In an official statement, the Food Standards ...
Publisher: The Guardian
Published Date: 08/10/2012
The Daily Mail reports that a ‘new formula predicts woman’s chance of falling pregnant’. The story is based on research into a common problem faced by many couples – is the fact that they have failed to conceive a baby j ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 05/10/2012
Older mothers do not increase the chances of children having health problems when they grow up, claim scientists.
Publisher: Midwives
Published Date: 03/10/2012
Professor Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, provides information for health care professionals, NHS trusts and professional bodies regarding the new temporary emergency pertussis programme. She explains the rationale ...
Publisher: Department of Health
Published Date: 28/09/2012
Millions of pounds are to be invested over the next three years to help reduce waiting times for IVF treatment, the Scottish government has announced.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 23/09/2012
Women having a baby should have access to a specialist doctor, no matter what time of the day or night they are giving birth, experts suggest.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 20/09/2012
A British servicewoman who gave birth to a baby boy in Afghanistan is understood to have been 'astonished' to discover she was pregnant. But, while unusual, it is possible for a pregnancy to go undetected.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 20/09/2012
The Daily Telegraph reported on the safety of home births in the UK. The article explores the safety of home birth and the support and advice given to expectant mothers.
Publisher: Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Published Date: 19/09/2012
Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) is the new organisation appointed by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Programme (HQIP) to continue the national pro ...
Publisher: MBRRACE-UK
Published Date: 12/09/2012
Uptake of the seasonal influenza vaccine amongst midwives in London could be improved according to a study presented at the Health Protection Agency's annual conference - Health Protection 2012 - at the University of War ...
Publisher: Health Protection Agency (HPA)
Published Date: 11/09/2012
Stoptober, the first ever mass quit attempt for smokers has been launched by Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies.
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 08/09/2012
Women who have 'surgical' abortions are more likely in the future to give birth to babies prematurely than women who have medically-induced terminations, a study suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 04/09/2012
Consideration is being given to vaccinating newborn babies against whooping cough because of this year's dramatic increase in cases.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 02/09/2012
CHF is campaigning for the introduction of pulse oximetry screening for all newborn babies in the UK. The test measures oxygen levels in the blood, and evidence shows it is an effective test in detecting three-quarters o ...
Publisher: Children’s Heart Federation (CHF)
Published Date: 30/08/2012
The Daily Telegraph advises that "eating nuts in pregnancy 'reduces chance of childhood allergy'". This 'Behind the headlines' article examines the evidence behind the report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 29/08/2012
The Department of Health is under increasing pressure to act swiftly on its promise to improve maternity services, after a survey found two thirds of pregnant women do not know the name of their midwife.
Publisher: Children & Young People Now (CYPN)
Published Date: 28/08/2012
This news story is based on the results of a large study of children born in England that looked at child health and wellbeing and the age of the mother. This 'Behind the headlines' article examines the evidence behind t ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 23/08/2012
A charity is calling on public health authorities in the North West to launch a campaign highlighting the dangers of smoking during pregnancy, after figures revealed the region has the highest unexplained infant death ra ...
Publisher: Children & Young People Now (CYPN)
Published Date: 22/08/2012
Women are more at risk of severe mental illness after giving birth than at any other time in their lives. BBC Newsnight has spoken to people affected by this devastating but poorly understood condition, which often goes ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 21/08/2012
The number of women in Scotland suffering life-threatening complications during labour has doubled, according to figures reported by doctors.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives
Published Date: 21/08/2012
The number of unexplained infant deaths has continued to fall, reaching an all-time low, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. But the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) says more need ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 21/08/2012
New research from Sweden suggests that smoking during early pregnancy may boost the risk that preschool children will develop asthma and wheezing problems, even if the kids aren't exposed to smoke after birth.
Publisher: MedlinePlus
Published Date: 17/08/2012
Five maternity services received the top accolade at the Government’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity’s (APPGM) Summer Awards Reception 2012. The winners were announced at a special ceremony hosted by the Secr ...
Publisher: Journal of Family Health Care (JFHC)
Published Date: 14/08/2012
New research suggests that around one in three are affected by some symptoms of trauma following childbirth.
Publisher: Birth Trauma Association
Published Date: 12/08/2012
Pregnancy tests are being sold in vending machines in bar toilets in one American city. They cost $3 and those behind the idea say they hope it will help prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
Publisher: Midwives
Published Date: 09/08/2012
Researchers are conducting a UK-wide survey of midwives’ use of early warning systems (EWS), also known as MEOWS. All directors and heads of midwifery will be invited to participate, and responses will help to map out cu ...
Publisher: Midwives
Published Date: 09/08/2012
A new section has been added to the Maternity Service Liaison Committees (MSLC) website relating to the future direction of communication between Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and maternity service users.
Publisher: ChiMat
Published Date: 02/08/2012
Research from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) identified 394 surgical site infections among 4,107 women followed up after a caesarean section operation (9.6 per cent). The majority of these infections were minor (88 p ...
Publisher: Health Protection Agency (HPA)
Published Date: 01/08/2012
With the high rate of unplanned pregnancy in the UK and an increasingly obese pregnant population, vitamin supplementation is an important public health issue, with potential significant impact on maternal and fetal morb ...
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 25/07/2012
Pregnant women exposed to organic solvents at work have a slightly higher chance of having a baby with a heart defect, a study shows.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 18/07/2012
Maternity Action has launched a new campaign to defend maternity rights and protect maternity services called Valuing Maternity. They believe a campaign is needed more than ever because pregnant women and new mothers are ...
Publisher: Maternity Action
Published Date: 17/07/2012
New figures have revealed that more women are having babies after the age of 40.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 12/07/2012
According to this article, the steep rise in the number of births over the last decade has not been accompanied by a corresponding rise in the number of midwives and although the Government is committed to training more ...
Publisher: Journal of Family Health Care (JFHC)
Published Date: 11/07/2012
Time-lapse photography has shown that embryos of smoking women develop more slowly.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 05/07/2012
The NHS paid out a record £1.28bn (€1.6bn; $2bn) in damages and legal costs for clinical negligence claims in 2011-12, a rise of more than 45% on the previous year’s total of £863m.
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 05/07/2012
The risk of having a cleft lip or palate seems to be more than four times higher if mothers do not take folic acid in the first three months of pregnancy, a study shows.
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 05/07/2012
According to the Daily Mail, stressed expectant mothers are “60% more likely” to have babies with health problems. This ‘Behind the headlines’ article examines the evidence behind the report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 04/07/2012
Regular trips to the coffee machine or having a diet packed with saturated fat have been linked to lower IVF success rates by fertility experts.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 03/07/2012
Standing for long periods of time when pregnant may slow foetal growth, a study suggests. Researchers found that women who stood for the majority of time at work had babies whose heads were around 1cm smaller than averag ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 28/06/2012
A target set by the Scottish government to reduce teenage pregnancies has been missed, although the rate has fallen for the fourth year in a row.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 26/06/2012
Almost half of eczema in babies is due to stress during pregnancy, according to ground-breaking research. Researchers from Japan make the claim after analysing data from 896 pairs of mothers and children.
Publisher: Midwives
Published Date: 21/06/2012
Pregnant women will have to call an NHS24 emergency call centre rather than their local hospital, under proposed changes to Scotland's maternity services. The planned scheme will attempt to 'streamline' the way women are ...
Publisher: Midwives
Published Date: 19/06/2012
The Royal College of Midwives has strongly challenged comments made by McKinsey partner Dr Penny Dash, who has claimed that the NHS should "loosen the stranglehold of some of the professional bodies on the way we deliver ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives
Published Date: 19/06/2012
The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) has appointed MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies - Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK) to run the national Maternal, Newborn and Infant ...
Publisher: Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership
Published Date: 13/06/2012
Families who lost babies to pseudomonas have said they were not made aware of the seriousness of the infection until after their children had died.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 31/05/2012
Babies who are delivered through Caesarean section are twice as likely to become obese than those born traditionally, US research suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 24/05/2012
Commenting on the latest statistics on smoking in pregnancy released on 24 May 2012 by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, Dr Janine Stockdale, research fellow at the Royal College of Midwives, said: "I am ple ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 24/05/2012
The latest phase of the Start4Life campaign has been launched with cinema advertising and a partnership with the Hollywood film 'What to Expect When You're Expecting', to help mothers-to-be have healthier pregnancies.
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 23/05/2012
The Government is to publish an annual 'snapshot' of social mobility, by measuring information such as educational achievement, access to professions and birth weights.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 22/05/2012
The NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme has developed leaflets to provide up to date information on the 11 conditions screened for during the 18+0 to 20+6 fetal anomaly ultrasound scan.
Publisher: NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (NHS FASP)
Published Date: 11/05/2012
A coalition of charities called on the Government not to reduce basic maternity leave from six months to 18 weeks, ahead of proposed legislation that was expected in the Queen's Speech.
Publisher: Children and Young People Now (CYPN)
Published Date: 04/05/2012
Overdue babies are at higher risk of health problems, research suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 03/05/2012
According to The Independent more than 100 mothers have died in childbirth in London in the last five years. The newspaper says the rate is twice as high as the rest of the country, and that a shortage of midwives may be ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 30/04/2012
Women could be forced to give birth in midwife-led units instead of hospital as experts are using flawed research to draw up new guidelines, it is feared.
Publisher: The Telegraph
Published Date: 28/04/2012
Prescription drug use during pregnancy is prevalent. However, not enough is known about the adverse effects they may have on the developing fetus, concludes a new review published in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist ...
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 27/04/2012
Fathers are just as likely as mothers to suffer postnatal depression and the risk is higher for younger men, an Australian study has found.
Publisher: The Telegraph
Published Date: 27/04/2012
Girls who start puberty 'very early' are more likely to be at risk of psychological problems and early pregnancy, researchers suggest.
Publisher: Nursing in Practice
Published Date: 27/04/2012
There will be no more births at two midwife-led units in East Kent from this September (2012).
Publisher: Royal College of Midwive (RCM)
Published Date: 26/04/2012
The contraceptive pill should be available at pharmacies without a GP prescription, including to some under-16s, suggests an NHS report.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 26/04/2012
The Royal College of Midwives is to launch a new initiative to encourage its members and the public to warn it of cuts to local maternity services and staffing problems, Nursing Times has learnt.
Publisher: Nursing Times
Published Date: 25/04/2012
At-risk premature babies would benefit from being given milk feeds earlier, a study has suggested.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 21/04/2012
“Planned births at home and in midwifery units are more cost-effective than giving birth in hospital,” according to BBC News. This ‘Behind the headlines’ article examines the evidence behind the report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 20/04/2012
Keeping a baby nice and warm while giving injections may offer better pain relief than the techniques doctors currently use.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 11/04/2012
Obese women and those with Type 2 diabetes could be increasing their chances of having a child with autism or another development disorder, a US study suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/04/2012
NHS Litigation Authority sets aside £235.4m to settle 60 cases in which hospital staff failed to spot hypoglycaemia in newborns
Publisher: Guardian News and Media Limited
Published Date: 09/04/2012
All maternity staff should participate in multi-professional shoulder dystocia training with accurate models to help improve outcomes for mother and baby according to new revised guidelines, published by the Royal Colleg ...
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 04/04/2012
Babies are to be “treated in the womb for obesity”, according to the Daily Mail. The newspaper said that overweight mothers-to-be will be given a diabetes pill “to cut the risk of having a fat child”. This 'Behind the he ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 02/04/2012
The world's largest research databank for cleft lip and palate is being set up in the UK to determine what causes these common conditions.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 28/03/2012
Ministers were recently updated with data on the current and future maternity workforce. The Department has commissioned the Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI) to undertake an in depth analysis into the nursing and ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 19/03/2012
A campaign to change babies' sleeping positions and reduce cot death rates in the 1990s failed to get the message across to deprived communities, a study has suggested.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 17/03/2012
The return of ‘tight swaddling’ is causing a rise in baby hip problems, it is suggested.
Publisher: Nursing in Practice
Published Date: 15/03/2012
Commenting on breastfeeding research published today in the BMJ Open suggesting that advice to breastfeed exclusively for six months may be “unhelpful” and too idealistic, Gail Johnson, education and professional develop ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 14/03/2012
The risk of womb rupture in pregnancy and labour is very small and lower than previously thought, according to research undertaken by Oxford University, and funded by a NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research and the c ...
Publisher: NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC)
Published Date: 14/03/2012
This is a joint ministerial message from Children and Families Minister Sarah Teather and Care Services Minister Paul Burstow. They urge local authorities to learn from the areas that are seeing the most significant redu ...
Publisher: Department for Education (DfE)
Published Date: 12/03/2012
Since Scotland introduced a ban on smoking in public places in 2006 there has been a 10% drop in the country's premature birth rate, say researchers.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 06/03/2012
Councils which get more mothers breastfeeding and improve parenting skills are to get extra funds under a new government trial.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 06/03/2012
There have been calls for a return to the 1950s-style approach to maternity care, where mothers knew their midwives and where babies were born at home.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 29/02/2012
Commenting on the Office for National Statistics Conceptions in England and Wales 2010 figures released today, Jacque Gerrard, Royal College of Midwives Director for England, said; “The fall in teenage pregnancies is ver ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 28/02/2012
Scientists are at the forefront of landmark research that could help spare 300 families the trauma of stillbirth every year. An Edinburgh University study is looking at using MRI scans to detect low oxygen levels of babi ...
Publisher: Daily Record
Published Date: 19/02/2012
More women in the north of England smoke while pregnant compared with the south, official figures for the last three months of 2011 have shown.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 16/02/2012
This is a bi-monthly e-bulletin for internal and external stakeholder groups designed to provide them with regular updates on activities that are supporting the delivery of the Be Healthy outcome for children, young peop ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 15/02/2012
Expectant mothers have regularly been turned away from the maternity unit at Lincoln County Hospital due to a lack of beds or staff, the BBC has learnt.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 13/02/2012
Scientists and doctors from the University of Sheffield are developing two novel devices that could lead to the improved prediction of premature births.
Publisher: University of Sheffield
Published Date: 13/02/2012
In the UK, black Caribbean and black African women have twice as much risk of experiencing severe pregnancy complications than white women, according to research published today on BMJ.com.
Publisher: Nursing in Practice
Published Date: 10/02/2012
IVF clinics have been told that no more than 10% of births should be twins or triplets by regulators.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/02/2012
A Welsh assembly inquiry into neonatal hospital services has been told about the need for improvements in the care of premature and sick babies.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/02/2012
A new opinion poll has found that most young women support the introduction of a national screening programme to detect Group B Strep in pregnant women.
Publisher: Journal of Neonatal Nursing
Published Date: 08/02/2012
Planned caesarean section is associated with a reduced risk of severe post partum haemorrhage (PPH), a major cause of maternal morbidity, finds a new Danish study published today in the journal.
Publisher: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Published Date: 08/02/2012
Teenagers at nine schools in Southampton have been offered contraceptive implants at their in-house sexual health clinics.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 08/02/2012
Following fresh concerns about vitamin D deficiency, the UK’s 4 Chief Medical Officers have written to health professionals reminding them about this issue.
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 06/02/2012
According to press reports, diabetic mothers-to-be run a high risk of giving birth to children with congenital abnormality,” The news is based on UK research that compared the rates of birth defects in women with and wit ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 06/02/2012
The pilot stage of a study exploring the impact traumatic birth can have on midwives, has been successfully completed.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 03/02/2012
A campaign warning of the risks nappy sacks pose to babies is to be adopted by the NHS nationally.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 02/02/2012
David Cameron answers questions about not delivering the 3000 extra midwives he promised before coming into power.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 02/02/2012
There is disappointment at the news that a midwife-led birthing centre in Hull is to shut its doors permanently.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 02/02/2012
The number of stillbirths in Scotland fell to its lowest recorded rate in 2010, a health watchdog has revealed.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 31/01/2012
The only natural birth centre in East Yorkshire will not reopen after it was closed due to staff shortages.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 31/01/2012
Nearly 20% of pregnant women use the internet as their primary source of antenatal information, according to a study by the University of Cartuja in Spain.
Publisher: Nursing Times (NT)
Published Date: 29/01/2012
Sink taps were the source of an infection which killed three babies at a Belfast hospital, the Northern Ireland health minister has confirmed.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 24/01/2012
Inconsistent training has left nurses lacking in compassion and basic skills, a report by the NHS Future Forum claims.
Publisher: Nursing in Practice
Published Date: 23/01/2012
An editorial published in the journal of the Canadian Medical Association on 16 January entitled “‘It’s a girl!’—could be a death sentence” has sparked debate in Canada about when it is appropriate to reveal the sex of a ...
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 23/01/2012
The NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme has published its revised policy for CHT screening in preterm infants, which will be implemented in all four UK countries on 1 April 2012.
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC)
Published Date: 20/01/2012
The English antenatal and newborn screening leaflet for parents (Screening Tests for You and Your Baby) is translated into 18 languages.
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC)
Published Date: 19/01/2012
Traditional birth attendants, regardless of how well trained or resourced, are commonly thought to be a poor substitute for care by skilled birth attendants (defined as care providers with professional qualifications, su ...
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 18/01/2012
New research commissioned by the NIHR HTA programme is evaluating the use of incentives to help women stop smoking during pregnancy and encourage breastfeeding until six months.
Publisher: NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC)
Published Date: 18/01/2012
This new free guide provides support for parents of babies born too soon, as well as for those parents at risk of giving birth early. All the information is evidence-based and it has been written with the help of a steer ...
Publisher: Tommy's
Published Date: 17/01/2012
A company hired to provide NHS maternity services in Wirral today revealed 40% of its patients have opted for home births compared to a national average of just 3%.
Publisher: Liverpool Echo
Published Date: 16/01/2012
According to the ‘Daily Mail’, a study has found that babies fed on formula cry less and are easier to get to sleep. This ‘Behind the headlines’ article examines the evidence behind the report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 11/01/2012
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) together with the group A streptococcal (GAS) Working Group* has today launched new guidelines for the investigation, control and prevention of GAS infection in acute healthcare setting ...
Publisher: Health Protection Agency (HPA)
Published Date: 10/01/2012
A bad diet during pregnancy raises an unborn child’s risk of developing diabetes in later life, The Daily Telegraph has reported. The newspaper said that a mother’s poorer diet in pregnancy reduces a person’s ability to ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 09/01/2012
Pregnant women should be allowed on to labour wards to look around before giving birth, experts said as it emerged that many Scottish hospitals have stopped letting them in.
Publisher: The Scotsman
Published Date: 09/01/2012
According to an investigation by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), the majority of UK universities are in breach of NMC standards by allowing midwife student-teacher ratios to slip.
Publisher: Nursing in Practice
Published Date: 03/01/2012
The new issue (Nov-Dec 2011) of the UK NSC's Screening Matters newsletter is now available online, with the latest screening policy information, as well as updates on the English national screening programmes and cross-p ...
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC)
Published Date: 23/12/2011
In response to recent media coverage, the Baby Friendly Initiative has produced a statement relating to supplementation of vitamin D for babies that are breastfeeding. The statement is available to read online or to down ...
Publisher: Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative
Published Date: 22/12/2011
More than a quarter of women now aged 16-24 first had sex when they were under age, compared with just 4% of women aged 55-69, a survey suggests
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 15/12/2011
At its meeting on 17 November 2011, the UK National Screening Committee recommended against introducing population-based screening programmes for a number of conditions
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC)
Published Date: 15/12/2011
This month’s edition features information about Healthwatch Pathfinders, Munro Review of Child Protection – Safeguarding Children in the Reformed NHS, Fathers’ Guide and Launch of phase one of the children and young peo ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 15/12/2011
Organisations and individuals across Europe are campaigning for warnings to pregnant women on alcoholic drinks cans and bottles. They want the warnings in order to encourage women to steer clear of alcohol to prevent th ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 08/12/2011
A hospital trust has become the first in England to recruit a private company to provide maternity care.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 07/12/2011
NHS Wirral has signed a three-year deal with a private company - One to One - following a pilot scheme to provide services to women in the local area. Women opting to go with One to One will be provided with a midwife wh ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 07/12/2011
Women who've suffered psychotic illness after childbirth talk about their journey back to recovery. This BBC 4 radio programme is available to listen again until end of Sunday 11 December.
Publisher: BBC Radio 4
Published Date: 05/12/2011
Commenting on the publication today (Dec. 1) of new maternity statistics released by the NHS Information Centre, Louise Silverton, deputy general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: “We are concerned ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 01/12/2011
High street coffee chains may be putting pregnant women at risk due to huge variations in caffeine content, according to recent research.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 01/12/2011
“Pregnant women are putting themselves and their unborn babies in danger by drinking coffee from high street chains,” reported the Daily Express. Other newspapers reported the wide range of caffeine levels in espresso sh ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 01/12/2011
More than 1,500 nursing and midwifery posts have been lost in the Scottish NHS in the past year, new figures said.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 29/11/2011
A home birth carries a higher risk for the babies of first-time mothers, according to a landmark study published in the British Medical Journal.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 25/11/2011
A major study has examined the risks of home births, comparing them against deliveries in hospitals and midwife units. The research was covered by several newspapers, some of which highlighted a low risk while others sai ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 25/11/2011
Pregnant women who ask for a Caesarean delivery should be allowed to have the operation, even if there is no medical need, according to new guidelines for England and Wales. One woman spoke to the BBC about her experienc ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 23/11/2011
Waiting a few minutes after delivery to cut the umbilical cord is best for a newborn's health, research suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 16/11/2011
Many hospitals are happy for fathers to be present at the birth of their children, but the welcome can soon run out as most men are not allowed to stay overnight with their partner and new baby. BBC Breakfast spoke to pa ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 15/11/2011
Almost three-quarters of expectant mothers in poverty are not attending antenatal classes according to a survey of mothers on community maternity services by Netmums and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). It found that ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 14/11/2011
A test carried out during pregnancy could predict which women will develop a potentially fatal condition called pre-eclampsia, scientists say.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 12/11/2011
Children with autism may have too many cells in the brain regions responsible for emotional development, the Daily Mail has reported. This 'Behind the headlines' article examines the evidence behind the report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 11/11/2011
There has been a fall in the number of women having home births, data published today reveals.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 10/11/2011
A study is being undertaken into the impact that traumatic birth can have on midwives.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 09/11/2011
Nearly a third of expectant parents are concerned about food safety during pregnancy, according to search data. The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) have produced an online resource about nutrition and health before, d ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 08/11/2011
A hospital has bucked the national midwife shortage trend by appointing 20 new midwives in just three months. University Hospital, Coventry, had more than 100 applications for the 20 new posts, including enquiries from ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 02/11/2011
Several newspapers have reported that all pregnant women will “get the right to a caesarean”, regardless of whether there is a medical reason for having one. This 'Behind the headlines' article examines the evidence behi ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 31/10/2011
Patients are still at risk at an east London hospital, according to a health watchdog report after the deaths of two pregnant women.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 27/10/2011
According to the Daily Mail, a method of inducing labour that dates back to the 1930s “has been found to work as well as modern treatments but with fewer side effects”. This 'Behind the headlines' article examines the ev ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 25/10/2011
“Pregnant women were urged to get their annual flu jab yesterday as research showed they have a five times greater risk of a stillbirth if they are admitted to hospital with swine flu,” reported The Independent. This ‘B ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 20/10/2011
Clinicians need to explore the reasons behind why women request a caesarean section rather than counsel women about the risks says a new review published today (17 October) in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG).
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 17/10/2011
Most children with autism have a normal birthweight but “Babies born weighing less than 4lb (1.8kg) could be more prone to developing autism than children born at normal weight,” BBC News has reported. This ‘Behind the h ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 17/10/2011
Several news sources have reported that errors during early-pregnancy ultrasounds are leading to unnecessary abortions. It has been claimed that hundreds of babies a year may die due to 'blunders' in testing and that unr ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 14/10/2011
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) have produced a joint statement on the important role of the GP in maternity ...
Publisher: Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)
Published Date: 06/10/2011
One in four births are by Caesarean section.
But in this week's Scrubbing Up, campaigner Leigh East warns pregnant women are not given a positive enough picture of C-sections - meaning many end up with "unnecessary" f ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 30/09/2011
Women expecting twins or triplets should be offered closer monitoring, including extra scans, according to new NHS guidelines.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 28/09/2011
The health minister has said that women in Northern Ireland who choose to have a Caesarean for non-medical reasons may have to pay for the operation.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 28/09/2011
Senior midwives face falling budgets and staff cuts despite massive midwife shortage
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 28/09/2011
The RCOG and Royal College of Midwives have released a joint statement on umbilical cord blood collection and banking.
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 22/09/2011
Almost half of women in the UK are confused about how much they should be eating when expecting , the pregnancy charity Tommy's suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 20/09/2011
Wales is facing a significant midwife shortage says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). Releasing new figures today the RCM says that Wales needs to increase its midwife numbers by over 10% - an extra 136 midwives - to ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 19/09/2011
Pregnant women who eat low-fat yoghurt can increase the risk of their child developing asthma and hay fever, a study says.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 17/09/2011
Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom has announced plans to create a national network of charitable parenting projects to offer intensive support to parents unable to bond with their babies.
Publisher: CommunityCare
Published Date: 16/09/2011
Parts of England are facing dangerously high shortages of midwives as Britain's birthrate rockets, according to the Royal College of Midwives.
Publisher: The Independent
Published Date: 15/09/2011
A children's centre in Frogmore is encouraging local Dads to join its Friday afternoon breast feeding session. New parents will have the chance to ask questions while Dads can learn how to feel emotionally connected duri ...
Publisher: Action for Children (AFC)
Published Date: 14/09/2011
The NHS watchdog for England is considering giving all women the option to have a Caesarean delivery even if there is no medical need.
Publisher: BBC Health
Published Date: 06/09/2011
This article looks at the future of stand-alone midwifery-led units or MLUs.
Publisher: Midwives Magazine
Published Date: 01/09/2011
Hospital bosses in North Yorkshire have banned elective Caesarean sections for non-medical reasons in a move they say will reduce health risks for mothers and babies and save cash.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 31/08/2011
Middle class mothers-to-be are paying for a service that is likely to be unavailable to poorer families according to this article in The Observer
Publisher: Guardian
Published Date: 28/08/2011
The latest issue (July - August 2011) of the UK NSC's online newsletter, Screening Matters, is now available. It covers both policy development and the English national screening programmes and is designed for anyone who ...
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC)
Published Date: 26/08/2011
"I'm not fat, I'm pregnant!" Actually, some women may be both but there are currently no UK guidelines to help midwives and women define how much is too much when it comes to weight gain during pregnancy.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 26/08/2011
Dr Benjamin Spock's Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care is one of the best-selling books of all time, with overall sales of some 50 million. Sixty-five years since its first publication, what is Dr Spock's contribut ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 23/08/2011
NHS maternity units are colluding with commercial companies to make thousands of pounds by persuading new mothers to buy photographs of their babies and by selling on their personal information.
Publisher: The Independent
Published Date: 22/08/2011
Well over half of new mums have stopped breastfeeding by the time their babies are six weeks old, despite all the advice that 'breast is best' for their baby. So why do so few continue breastfeeding?
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 20/08/2011
The NHS should consider checking pregnant women's vitamin D levels to protect babies from the "Victorian" bone disease rickets, an expert says.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 19/08/2011
Parents of underweight babies must be given more information on reducing the risk of cot death, says a charity.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 17/08/2011
A new national health visitor taskforce has been created to support the government’s plans to rejuvenate the health visiting profession, recruit 4,200 new health visitors, and develop a new health visiting service across ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 16/08/2011
Commenting on research into obesity in pregnancy and links to adolescent asthma published today in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Gail Johnson, education and professional development advisor at the Roy ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 15/08/2011
Parents-to-be wanting to find out their baby's gender can be assured that a blood test on the mother gives an accurate result, say scientists.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 10/08/2011
More midwives from diverse communities in Wales are needed to "mirror the local population", according to an expert.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/08/2011
A quick and cheap test could save the lives of babies born with congenital heart defects, doctors say.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 05/08/2011
Several newspapers have reported that routine screening test for all newborn babies could improve the diagnosis of congenital heart defects. This 'Behind the headlines' article examines the evidence behind the reports.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 05/08/2011
BBC’s Panorama suggests the NHS in London is failing to deliver safe maternity care, but James Owen Drife thinks the programme may alienate clinicians, and asks why the report on which it is based was not published befor ...
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 03/08/2011
Leeds wants to become one of the first breastfeeding friendly cities in the UK.
The council and health services are jointly running a campaign calling on all businesses and organisations to support nursing mothers.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 03/08/2011
“Pregnant women who use hairdryers, microwaves, vacuum cleaners or who live near pylons could be putting their babies at risk of asthma,” reported the Daily Mail. This 'Behind the headlines' article looks at the evidence ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 02/08/2011
“Seven in 10 babies fed too much salt,” read the Daily Express headline. The newspaper’s report said that “giving babies cow’s milk is a risk because it contains nearly four times as much salt as breast or formula milk”. ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 02/08/2011
Pregnant women are being denied a key screening test which can reveal their likelihood of having a child with Down's syndrome.
Publisher: Scotsman
Published Date: 31/07/2011
The RCM has created a DVD to explain the work of midwives in reducing maternal and infant mortality worldwide. The animated short film called "Midwives Work" is designed to be used globally. It was premiered at the Inter ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 27/07/2011
“Mothers using nicotine gum to avoid smoking in pregnancy ‘put unborn babies at risk’,” warns the Daily Mail. It said that the nicotine is absorbed by the foetus, which “can cause high blood pressure and heart problems l ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 25/07/2011
Proper maternity care could have prevented the deaths of 17 women in London over 18 months, according to a report seen by BBC Panorama.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 25/07/2011
Staff shortages mean the number of births that midwives have to deal with exceeds recommended levels in most areas of the UK, a Panorama investigation has found. To provide a safe maternity service, the Royal College of ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 25/07/2011
The introduction of a higher level maternity support worker role in Scotland has increased capacity and improved the quality of care to mothers, according to new research conducted by London South Bank University (LSBU). ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 22/07/2011
Midwife teachers play a unique role in ensuring newly qualified midwives are fit for practice – an independent report commissioned by the Nursing and Midwifery Council has found.
The Midwives in Teaching report, a col ...
Publisher: Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Published Date: 21/07/2011
“Being stressed in pregnancy genetically programmes the developing baby to be more susceptible to anxiety and behavioural problems in life,” reported The Daily Telegraph. This “Behind the headlines” article examines the ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 20/07/2011
Pregnant women should have access to a “managed women’s health network” for maternity care, and women aged over 50 should be routinely offered consultations for a “personal health plan for the menopause and beyond,” says ...
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 15/07/2011
Head of RCM says safety compromised by midwife shortfall and high birthrate
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 13/07/2011
Nearly 4700 more midwives are needed to keep pace with rocketing population figures, the RCM said today (13 July), as the government published birth rate data showing the steepest increase in almost 40 years.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 13/07/2011
"Women with poorly-managed asthma have a higher chance of giving birth early or having a small baby”, reported BBC News. this "Behind the headlines" article examines the evidence behind the report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 13/07/2011
“Alcohol damages DNA of unborn children beyond repair,” according to a report in 'The Independent'. The newspaper says that “scientists have identified the precise molecular mechanism” through which this damage happens. ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 07/07/2011
Student midwives are now able to administer medicines on the midwives’ exemptions list, except controlled drugs, under the direct supervision of a midwife, following an amendment to the NMC’s legislation, which came into ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 04/07/2011
Drugs used to stimulate the ovaries of older women undergoing IVF treatment may be causing genetic defects in the embryo, according to recent press reports. The finding comes from a preliminary presentation of a study lo ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 04/07/2011
The College has today (20 June 2011) published a position statement outlining its policy on breastfeeding.
Publisher: Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)
Published Date: 20/06/2011
Two thirds of disabled parents (67%) feel they received unsatisfactory support as parents and more than half (53%) are unhappy with the support they received during pregnancy and birth, according to early findings from a ...
Publisher: Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood International (DPPI)
Published Date: 15/06/2011
The position in which women sleep on the last night of their pregnancy is related to their risk of still birth, say researchers.
Publisher: Nursing Times
Published Date: 15/06/2011
The June 2011 issue of Baby Friendly News is now available to download from the Baby Friendly Intitative website. This issue looks back at last year's Baby Friendly conference, examines the public debate around breast an ...
Publisher: Unicef UK: Baby Friendly Initiative
Published Date: 13/06/2011
Drinks company Diageo is to pay for 10,000 midwives in England and Wales to be trained to offer advice on the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 12/06/2011
Queries whether early testing for Down syndrome, in the form of maternal blood tests, will be a good thing because they will remove the need for invasive tests that carry a risk of miscarriage, such as amniotomy and chor ...
Publisher: Guardian
Published Date: 12/06/2011
Swindon's Great Western Hospital carries out a clinical trial to find out if car seats for tiny babies are safe.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 07/06/2011
All newborn children in London could be vaccinated to stop the spread of tuberculosis, under proposals being consulted on.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 03/06/2011
A new study has begun to investigate new treatments aimed at stopping women from going into labour too soon and protect unborn babies from brain damage.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 02/06/2011
A generation of schoolgirls are growing up deficient in the vital mineral, iodine, putting their unborn children at risk, a study has found.
Publisher: The Independent
Published Date: 02/06/2011
A woman who lost her unborn baby as a result of the Strep B infection has called for routine testing to detect the presence of the bacteria.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 01/06/2011
One out of every seven new mothers has post-natal depression - but, according to the Fatherhood Institute, one out of every 10 fathers are depressed both before and after their baby is born.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 28/05/2011
Commenting on the Welsh Conservative Party figures on the fall in midwife numbers in Wales, released today (Wednesday, 25th may 2011), Helen Rogers, Royal College of Midwives Director for Wales, said: “If these figures a ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 25/05/2011
A dietary supplement given to pregnant women at high risk of pre-eclampsia can reduce the likelihood of the disease occurring, a study says.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 20/05/2011
Expectant mothers at a hospital in Greater Manchester will be able to try hypnobirthing, as part of an NHS trial.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 19/05/2011
Improving birth outcomes and reducing medical litigation costs are the aims behind the new Electronic Fetal Monitoring (eFM) project, launched today by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the Ro ...
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 18/05/2011
The Daily Mail has reported that research into the chemical oxytocin has found that pregnant women with lower levels of the chemical are more likely to develop depression after birth. This "Behind the headlines" article ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 12/05/2011
Toddlers have disrupted sleep patterns if their parents are in an unhappy relationship, according to researchers.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 11/05/2011
“Mums should breastfeed for at least four months to avoid having naughty kids,” reported The Sun. The news report is based on a large study of whether the duration of breastfeeding is associated with a child’s risk of be ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 10/05/2011
Children who are breastfed for four months or more go on to develop fewer behaviour problems, researchers at Oxford University say.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 10/05/2011
The translations for the Down's Syndrome, Fetal Anomaly and Blood Spot sections of the English antenatal and newborn parent booklet have been updated to reflect policy and other changes in the 2010 version.
Publisher: UK National Screening Committee
Published Date: 09/05/2011
A Peterborough hospital is the first in the country to offer ante-natal classes for fathers-to-be.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/05/2011
Obese pregnant women are to be given a drug to reduce the risk of obesity in their children as part of an NHS trial.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 09/05/2011
Two leading UK maternity charities have announced their official merger.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 05/05/2011
Babies who are bottle-fed until the age of two are more likely to be obese when they start school, a US study suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 05/05/2011
All pregnant women should be screened for hidden signs of thyroid disease, according to Czech researchers.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 04/05/2011
Scientists at King’s have pioneered a new method of identifying early in pregnancy which healthy first-time mothers are at risk of developing pre-eclampsia, a potentially life threatening condition that complicates one i ...
Publisher: Tommy’s
Published Date: 03/05/2011
Croydon University Hospital has been ordered to take action to address shortages of midwives in its maternity unit by the Care Quality Commission.
Publisher: Nursing Times (NT)
Published Date: 28/04/2011
“Babies who persistently cry and those who have difficulties with sleeping or feeding are more likely to develop behavioural problems in later life,” reported The Independent. This "Behind the headlines" article examines ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 21/04/2011
A new system of post-natal care will be established in North East Lincolnshire from next month, which will largely see the end of home visits.
Publisher: Nursing Times (NT)
Published Date: 21/04/2011
Heart disease drugs are to be trialled on a group of pregnant mothers showing early signs of pre-eclampsia.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 20/04/2011
A mother's diet can alter the DNA of her child and increase the risk of obesity, according to researchers in Southampton.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 18/04/2011
Severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) affects approximately 30% of pregnant women and can be treated with appropriate medication says a new review published today in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG). ...
Publisher: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Published Date: 18/04/2011
There has been a “rise in abortions among mothers denied morning sickness drugs,” reported The Independent. It said that experts have said that “doctors are failing to treat morning sickness … contributing to a three-fol ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 18/04/2011
Parents believe the benefits of testing their children for the genetic risk of some diseases outweighs the negative consequences, according to US scientists.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 18/04/2011
Scientists have discovered “a gene linked to premature birth”, BBC News reported. This "Behind the headlines" article examines the evidence behind this article.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 15/04/2011
A gene linked to premature births has been discovered by scientists in the US and Finland.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 15/04/2011
A study involving more than 700 teenage girls at nine UK centres found more than two-thirds had a deficiency. Experts say the problem stems from children drinking less milk, which is a good source of iodine. Women of chi ...
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 12/04/2011
Genetic tests for conditions such as cystic fibrosis should be available before conception, says the government's advisory body on genetics.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 06/04/2011
The Children, Families and Maternity Team produce a bi-monthly e-bulletin for internal and external stakeholder groups designed to provide them with regular updates on activities that are supporting the delivery of the B ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 06/04/2011
Commenting on the report published today (Tuesday, 5th April 2011) by the Health Select Committee on the Governments plans for reform of NHS Commissioning, Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwive ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 05/04/2011
Scientists believe they may have identified a link between a protective reflex that stops us breathing when food “goes down the wrong way” and cot death.
Publisher: Nursing Times (NT)
Published Date: 04/04/2011
The UK National Patient Safety Agency has told the consortium that was due to take over the national confidential inquiries into maternal and perinatal deaths on Friday 1 April that procurement arrangements have been sto ...
Publisher: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Published Date: 04/04/2011
The Baby Lifeline charity has called for increased funding for maternity care education to address some of the fatal contributory factors recently highlighted by CMACE. Baby Lifeline's Judy Ledger said evidence showing t ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 01/04/2011
Support for health and social care professionals who have to raise sensitive issues with pregnant women is available online from today (Thursday 31 March) on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NIC ...
Publisher: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
Published Date: 31/03/2011
Calls to put frontline services first and eliminating inequalities are among eight pledges in the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Northern Ireland Manifesto launched today, at Lagan valley Midwife-Led Unit in Lisburn. Th ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 30/03/2011
“Pregnant women who take paracetamol could be increasing the risk of their child developing asthma,” the Daily Express has reported. This "Behind the headlines" article examines the evidence behind this report.
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 30/03/2011
Twenty sites have been selected to lead the way in delivering the new health visiting service. The new service, announced in February 2011, will improve the health and well-being of children, families and communities, an ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 30/03/2011
Many new mothers are bombarded with contradictory and even dangerous parenting advice by their own relatives, a Netmums survey suggests.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 29/03/2011
Scientists discover genetic errors that increase a woman's chance of the life-threatening condition of some pregnancies called pre-eclampsia.
Publisher: BBC
Published Date: 23/03/2011
The Agency is reminding parents of Government advice to exclusively feed babies breast milk for around six months and not to introduce solid food until after this time. This is following an in-depth review by experts who ...
Publisher: Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Published Date: 18/03/2011
An antenatal care approach for women with diabetes is among 14 healthcare efforts selected for the Health Foundation's Shine programme.??
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 18/03/2011
Newborn babies are at less risk of sudden infant death when sleeping in their parents' bed than in a cot, a baby sleep expert has claimed. But parents wishing to sleep alongside their newborn baby in the same bed should ...
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 15/03/2011
“Breastfeeding produces not only healthier babies but also brighter children,” reported The Guardian. It said a study has found that just four weeks of breastfeeding gives newborns a "positive and significant effect", wh ...
Publisher: NHS Choices
Published Date: 14/03/2011
Standalone midwife-led centres are under threat from high costs and falling numbers of deliveries, analysis by Nursing Times sister title Health Service Journal show.
Publisher: Nursing Times (NT)
Published Date: 11/03/2011
Dear colleague letter from Jessamine Matheson, Head of Nutrition Schemes and Maternal & Infant Feeding - Health Improvement & Protection Directorate, Department of Health, and Alison Baum, CEO of Best Beginnings, ...
Publisher: Department of Health (DH)
Published Date: 10/03/2011
Maternity services need to be organised on the principles of ‘availability, accessibility, and acceptability’. The services need to be safe as safety is the back bone of quality. The best quality of care is the one that ...
Publisher: Midwifery
Published Date: 14/08/2010
Single obese women are four times more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy despite having sex less often than normal weight women according to new research.
Publisher: Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Published Date: 17/06/2010