New NHS programme to reduce brain injury in childbirth
Expectant mothers will receive safer maternity care as a new NHS programme to help prevent brain injury during childbirth is rolled out across the country.
The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly.
It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby’s head becomes lodged deep in the mother’s pelvis during a caesarean birth.
The government programme, which will begin from September and follows an extensive development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy.
The national rollout is only one step the government is taking to improve maternity services under its Plan for Change to fix the health service, as it reforms the NHS to ensure all women receive safe, personalised and compassionate care.
Source: Department of Health and Social Care, 12 May 2025