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News Article
Covid: Pregnant women in Wales 'still go it alone'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Pregnant women are facing a postcode lottery over whether they can bring a partner to maternity appointments. Health boards were given flexibility in November to allow pregnant woman in low Covid rate areas to take their partners to maternity appointments. But many parts of Wales with the lowest rates are still forcing pregnant women to attend some appointments alone. There are calls, as lockdown eases, for partners Wales-wide to be allowed to all appointments and during labour. Emma Fear, 30, was not able to take her partner with her to hospital when she experienced bleeding during pregnancy in June last year and was told, alone, that she was losing her baby. She then had to repeat the news to her partner, who was waiting outside in the car. "At the time, he could have come and sat outside a pub with me, but he couldn't come with me when I'd had severe bleeding and knew I had probably lost my baby." Read full story Source: BBC News, 2 May 2021 -
News Article
Miscarriage rates 'over 40% higher' in black women
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Black women face a significantly higher risk of having a miscarriage than white, research suggests. The Lancet analysis of data on 4.6 million pregnancies in seven countries suggests being black increases miscarriage risk by 43%. It calls for people in the UK to be given support after their first pregnancy loss. Currently, referral to specialist clinics usually occurs after three consecutive losses only. Most countries, including the UK, do not collect statistics, but researchers estimate: 15% of pregnancies end in loss 1% of women will experience recurrent miscarriage. Some estimates of miscarriage rate are higher, but this is due to differences in how countries define pregnancy loss, which can be from a positive pregnancy test or from a scan. The report also found that women who suffered miscarriage, from all ethnic backgrounds, are more vulnerable to long-term health problems, such as blood clots, heart disease and depression. Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 April 2021 -
News ArticlePregnant women who catch COVID-19 are over 50% more likely to experience severe complications such as premature birth, admission to intensive care and death, a major study has found. Newborns of infected women were also nearly three times more at risk of severe medical complications and close to 10% tested positive during the first few days of their life, the study of more than 2,100 pregnant women across 18 countries worldwide revealed. Scientists leading the study warned the risk to mothers and babies is greater than acknowledged at the beginning of the pandemic, and called for pregnant women to be offered a COVID-19 vaccine. Stephen Kennedy, a professor of reproductive medicine at the University of Oxford, who co-led the study, said: “We now know that the risks to mothers and babies are greater than we assumed at the start of the pandemic and that known health measures when implemented must include pregnant women. “The information should help families, as the need to do all one can to avoid becoming infected is now clear. Read full story Source: The Independent, 24 April 2021
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News ArticleThe Labour Party will call on the government to commit to a target of ending the Black maternal mortality gap during a landmark debate about the topic later on Monday. This comes as shocking figures show Black women are over four times more likely than white women to die during or after pregnancy or childbirth in the UK. MPs will debate a petition relating to Black maternal healthcare and mortality. Scheduled to take place at 6.15pm this evening, the session will be led by Petitions Committee Chair Catherine McKinnell MP. Read full story Source: The Independent, 19 April 2021
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News Article
Pregnant women should be offered Covid vaccine
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Pregnant women should be offered a Covid jab when other people their age get one, the UK's vaccine advisers say. They say the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are preferable because data from the US in 90,000 pregnant women has not raised any safety concerns. Up until now, only women with underlying health conditions or those whose risk of exposure to the virus was high were eligible. The shift in advice brings the UK into line with other countries. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation now advises that pregnant women should all be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available, at the same time as the rest of the population. They are encouraged to discuss the risks and benefits of the vaccines with their doctor before making the appointment, but it is not a requirement. "There is no evidence to suggest that other vaccines are unsafe for pregnant women, but more research is needed," it added. Currently, there is a lack of data on the AstraZeneca vaccine in pregnancy because pregnant women were not included in trials, but the JCVI says more evidence may be forthcoming in the near future. Read full story Source: BBC News, 17 April 2021 -
News ArticleMental health "hubs" for new, expectant or bereaved mothers are to be set up around England. The 26 sites, due to be opened by next April, will offer physical health checks and psychological therapy in one building. NHS England said these centres would provide treatment for about 6,000 new parents in the first year. Five years ago, 40% of areas in England had no dedicated maternal mental health services. Things have improved since then with some specialist services available in each of the 44 local NHS areas in England. But in the NHS's Long Term Plan, published in 2019, the health service pledged to offer more "evidence-based" support, including to partners and families through these hubs or "outreach clinics". The NHS hopes to offer services to people with moderate-to-severe difficulties, whereas earlier investment focused on the most acutely unwell mothers. These clinics will "integrate maternity, reproductive health and psychological therapy for women experiencing mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to, the maternity experience," NHS England said. Read full story Source: 5 April 2021
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News Article
Miscarriage associated with higher risk of women’s early death
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Miscarriage may be associated with an increased risk of early death, researchers have said. The BMJ published a study suggesting that this risk is particularly acute for those who have experienced repeated miscarriages, especially ones that occurred early on in a woman’s life. US-based researchers said that women who had experienced a miscarriage were 19% more likely to die prematurely. They pointed out that a miscarriage “could be an early marker of future health risk in women.” The authors of the paper hoped to see if there was any link between miscarriage and a risk of death before the age of 70. Data used was taken from 101,681 women as part of the Nurses’ Health Study in the US. This was made up of female nurses aged between 25 and 42 years. The researchers followed the women for 24 years and said that 2,936 premature deaths were recorded, this included 1,346 from cancer and 269 from cardiovascular disease. It appeared that death rates from all causes were comparable both for women with and without a history of miscarriage. However, rates were higher for women who had experienced three or more miscarriages as well as for women who had their first miscarriage under the age of 24. The study found that the association between miscarriage, or “spontaneous abortion,” and premature death was strongest for deaths from cardiovascular disease. Read full story Source: The Independent, 25 March 2021 -
News ArticlePregnant women and new mothers are three times as likely to suffer from poor mental health in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study. The report, carried out by a coalition of leading maternal mental health organisations, suggested before that the public health crisis up to 20% of women developed a mental illness during pregnancy or within the first year after having a baby. But in lockdown, 6 in 10 mothers had substantial concerns around their mental health, according to researchers who polled more than 5,000 pregnant women and parents. The study warned women were more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, loneliness and suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 crisis. The Maternal Mental Health Alliance is one of the organisations behind the research. Luciana Berger, a former Labour MP who is now chair of the group, said: “Today’s report should serve as an ear-splitting warning siren about the dangers to women’s maternal mental health and potential risks to the wellbeing of their babies." Read full story Source: The Independent, 16 March 2021
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News Article
Covid: Confusion over gestational diabetes advice
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Some pregnant women who have had gestational diabetes say a change to shielding advice in England has caused confusion. Some have been told to stay at home while others have not, based on a new algorithm which calculates an individual's risk from Covid. It identified an extra 1.7 million people as extremely clinically vulnerable in England this week. They will now be prioritised for a Covid vaccine. NHS England says not everyone with the same condition will be advised to shield but suggests people contact their GP to discuss their individual case. Heather Davis Mahoney, from Hertfordshire, had gestational diabetes while carrying her second child, and was monitored closely during her third pregnancy. She has not been told to shield, but says it's worrying when others from similar backgrounds have been told they should. "There's been an explosion of confusion. People don't know what's going on and are worried about putting themselves and their babies at risk," she says. But GP Dr David Triska said just because someone has gestational diabetes or had it in the past, doesn't mean they should be shielding. "I think the major point of confusion is that people are expecting that this is a binary 'yes' or 'no' per condition algorithm - and it is not," he said. "The reason why people are getting different answers from various sources is because this is an individual risk assessment." Read full story Source: BBC News, 20 February 2021 -
News Article
‘Legally wrong’ to make pregnant women with Covid give birth alone
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS guidance which often forces pregnant women who test positive with coronavirus to give birth alone is legally wrong, lawyers warned. Official guidance drawn up by NHS England states that if a woman tests positive for Covid, their husband or partner must self-isolate at home and is not allowed to support them during childbirth. But campaigners and lawyers told The Independent their guidance for visitor restrictions in maternity services during the pandemic is legally inaccurate as people have the “right to private and family life” under Article Eight of the Human Rights Act. Maria Booker, of Birthrights, a leading maternity care charity, said: “The NHS oversimplifies the government’s self-isolating Covid regulations and tells partners they have to stay at home. But this hasn’t taken into account the legal nuance that government rules state people can leave home if they have a reasonable excuse." “A woman being anxious about giving birth alone, which most people will be, is likely to legally constitute as a reasonable excuse." “It is completely inhumane for a woman to give birth without a partner or supporter. It is even scarier giving birth alone you are Covid positive. It is terrifying. Nobody should give birth alone and that includes Covid positive women.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 13 February 2021 -
News Article
Hospital reports rise in pregnant Covid patients
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A hospital has reported a "significant" increase in the number of pregnant women being treated for coronavirus. New Cross Hospital, in Wolverhampton, said part of its maternity ward had been sectioned off for Covid patients. Nationally, the proportion of pregnant women in intensive care has almost doubled since the first wave. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said pregnant women were at no greater risk of being infected with Covid than the general public. The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust's chief executive said the cause of the increase in the city was unclear. "We're seeing a lot more pregnant women now suffering with Covid and some of them have been very, very ill," Prof David Loughton said at a regional coronavirus briefing on Friday."We have had some deaths," he continued, "so that is really sad". An intensive care audit has shown the percentage of pregnant women aged 16-49 has almost doubled in the second wave compared to the first wave of the pandemic. Up until the end of August, 29 women in that age bracket who had been admitted with coronavirus were pregnant, compared to 103 from September to the end of January. Recently, the intensive care unit treated two Covid-positive pregnant patients and almost 200 expectant mothers tested positive in the city during the past quarter. Read full story Source: BBC News, 2 February 2021 -
News Article
Pregnant women going for scans alone told they cannot film baby
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Pregnant women attending scans and appointments alone are repeatedly being told they cannot record or take photographs of their unborn child to show their partner, according to a survey. The poll of more than 3,450 pregnant women by the campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed found that more than half of respondents (52%) attended scans alone and were also told that they could not record or take photographs during the appointment. NHS trusts have been warned that they could be acting unlawfully if they continue to ban partners of pregnant women accessing hospital appointments remotely. Women are repeatedly being told it is “illegal” to photograph or film their scan, despite this not being the case, said the charity Birthrights, which sought the legal advice. “We are keen to see maternity services accommodate partners in person, in line with national guidance,” said Birthrights’ programmes director, Maria Booker. “However if this is really not possible at some hospitals during the current peak, maternity services must find other ways to ensure women feel supported and partners remain involved.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 31 January 2021 -
News ArticleWhen pharmacist Ifeoma Onwuka, known to her friends as Laura, went into hospital to have her daughter, she and her husband hoped the delivery would go smoothly, and that they would soon be able to take their new arrival home to meet her siblings. Onwuka's labor was induced at James Paget University Hospital in Great Yarmouth in late April 2018. Things progressed quickly and there were soon signs that her baby was in distress, causing staff to begin preparations for an emergency Caesarian section, but Onwuka's daughter was born in the recovery room. Shortly after the birth, Onwuka's condition began to deteriorate. According to the family's lawyer, Tim Deeming, she began to bleed heavily, and was taken into surgery where attempts were made to stem the loss of blood. Hours later, and only after a second consultant had been called in, she was given an emergency hysterectomy. The mother-of-three died three days later. The coroner, Yvonne Blake, said an expert had told Onwuka's inquest that the delay to surgery contributed to her death, since acting early could have controlled the bleeding. Black mothers have worse outcomes during pregnancy or childbirth than any other ethnic group in England. According to the latest confidential inquiry into maternal deaths (MBRRACE-UK). Black people in England are four times more likely to die in pregnancy or within the first six weeks of childbirth than their White counterparts. Read full story Source: CNN. 14 January 2021
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News ArticleMore women may suffer pain due to being conscious while undergoing caesareans or other pregnancy-related surgery under general anaesthetic than realised, a troubling new study has found. The report, conducted by medical journal Anaesthesia, found being awake while having a caesarean is far more common than it is with other types of surgery. Researchers discovered that one in 256 women going through pregnancy-related surgery are aware of what was going on — a far higher proportion than the one in every 19,000 identified in a previous national audit. If a patient is conscious at some point while under general anaesthetic, they may be able to recall events from the surgery such as pain or the sensation of being trapped, the researchers said. While the experiences generally only last for a few seconds or minutes, anaesthetists remain highly concerned. Women also felt tugging, stitching, feelings of dissociation and not being able to breathe - with some suffering long-term psychological damage that often involved characteristics of post-traumatic stress disorder. Read full story Source: The Independent, 13 January 2021
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News ArticleThousands of women have had abortions after falling pregnant while having difficulties accessing contraception during the pandemic, healthcare providers have warned. Sexual health clinics have been forced to shut or run reduced services while staff are transferred to work with Covid patients or have to self-isolate – with the profound disruption leaving many women unable to access their usual methods of contraception. Many women are struggling to get the most effective long-acting contraceptive choices of a coil or an implant due to these requiring face-to-face appointments which have largely been suspended as consultations are carried out remotely via phone or video call to curb the spread of COVID-19. British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the UK's largest abortion provider, told The Independent they provided the progestogen-only contraceptive pill to almost 10,000 women undergoing an abortion between May and October last year. Katherine O’Brien, a spokesperson for the service, said: “Many of these women will have fallen pregnant after struggling to access contraception, so there really is a huge unmet need for contraceptive services which will only worsen as lockdown and Covid continues. “We routinely hear from women during the pandemic who simply can’t access their regular method of contraception because of clinics closing or staff being deployed elsewhere or staff self-isolating.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 9 January 2021
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News ArticleRachel Hardeman has dedicated her career to fighting racism and the harm it has inflicted on the health of Black Americans. As a reproductive health equity researcher, she has been especially disturbed by the disproportionately high mortality rates for Black babies. In an effort to find some of the reasons behind the high death rates, Hardeman, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and three other researchers combed through the records of 1.8 million Florida hospital births between 1992 and 2015 looking for clues. They found a tantalising statistic. Although Black newborns are three times as likely to die as White newborns, when Black babies are delivered by Black doctors, their mortality rate is cut in half. "Strikingly, these effects appear to manifest more strongly in more complicated cases," the researchers wrote, "and when hospitals deliver more Black newborns." They found no similar relationship between White doctors and White births. Nor did they find a difference in maternal death rates when the doctor's race was the same as the patient's. Read full story Research paper Source: The Washington Post, 9 January 2021
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News ArticleUnvaccinated pregnant women accounted for nearly a fifth of the most severely ill coronavirus patients in England in recent months, according to health officials. Between July and September, 17% of COVID-19 patients who required a special lung bypass machine while in intensive care were mothers-to-be who had not received their first vaccine dose, NHS England said. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used when a patient’s lungs are so damaged by Covid-19 that a ventilator cannot maintain oxygen levels. While just six per cent of the women aged 16 to 49 who needed ECMO at the start of the pandemic were pregnant, nearly a third of women among that age group who required the lung bypass in recent months were unvaccinated mothers-to-be. The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) called the statistics a “damning indictment of the lack of attention given to this vulnerable group as restrictions have eased”. Read full story Source: The Independent, 11 October 2021
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News Article
Healthy baby terminated by hospital in mix-up with sick twin
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Doctors at a hospital in Birmingham mistakenly terminated a healthy unborn baby in a procedure instead of its sickly twin. The unidentified mother decided to abort one of the fetuses because it was suffering from restrictive growth, which increases the chances of stillbirth and puts the healthy baby at risk. During the procedure at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation, surgeons accidentally terminated the wrong twin. The 2019 incident emerged in a Freedom of Information Act survey of hospital blunders. Dr Fiona Reynolds, chief medical officer at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Trust, said: "A full and comprehensive investigation was carried out swiftly after this tragic case and the findings were shared with the family, along with our sincere apologies and condolences." "The outcome of that thorough review has led to a new protocol being developed to decrease the likelihood of such an incident happening again." Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 September 2021 -
News Article
Life-saving world first NHS test to rule out pre-eclampsia in pregnant women
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
A same-day blood test that can rule out pre-eclampsia, in pregnant women is being rolled out across the NHS in England. The test, known as placental growth factor (PLGF) testing, is already being used in three quarters of maternity units in England. NHS clinical director for maternity and women‘s health Matthew Jolly said: “Pre-eclampsia is a life-threatening condition for both mum and baby if left untreated and this is why the NHS takes every precaution possible when soon-to-be mums have some of the early signs, like high blood pressure. This new way of testing means we can rule out the condition in a much quicker and easier way - it removes the stress that comes with the uncertainty around not having a diagnosis and will reassure thousands of pregnant women every year.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 25 August 2021 -
News ArticleAccording to a new study, mothers at risk of premature birth could be identified as soon as 10 weeks into their pregnancy. The study, conducted by King's College London and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, found that by looking for specific bacteria in the in a pregnant woman’s cervicovaginal fluid, it could reveal warning signs for premature birth, meaning inflammation can be found and treated early to protect mothers and babies. Study author Andrew Shennan OBE, who is Professor of obstetrics at King’s College London, explained: “Premature birth is very hard to predict, so doctors have to err on the side of caution and mothers deemed to be at risk often don’t actually have their babies early, putting undue strain on everyone involved. My team has developed preterm birth prediction tools that are very accurate later in pregnancy, like fetal fibronectin tests – but at that stage, you can only manage the risks, not stop it from happening. The sooner we can find out who’s at risk, the more we can do to keep mothers and babies safe.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 23 August 2021
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News Article1,500 safety recommendations have been made to NHS trusts a year after hundreds of babies were left brain damaged and dozens of mothers and infants died. Safety watchdog Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) has outlined key themes from 760 investigations of maternity incidents, taking over investigations for NHS trusts in 2018 after concerns were raised over the poor quality of investigation by trusts and a lack of involvement in families. Sandy Lewis, associate director of maternity said: “The publication of the HSIB maternity programme year review provides crucial details of the work that has been undertaken in the last year. We would like to thank all of those who have worked with us in the past year, sharing their experiences, insights and expertise. Many families have not only told us their stories but have also trusted our investigators to reflect their perspectives and share their experience. Trusts have responded promptly to this insight, this has contributed to improving safer care of mothers, babies and families across the country.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 16 August 2021
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News Article
NHS England maternity services may need overhauling to ensure safety, say experts
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
At a virtual event held by The Independent last night, experts agreed maternity services needed to be overhauled. The panel discussion, NHS maternity scandal: Inside a crisis, laid out the facts surrounding the problems around maternity care and concerns around safety amid repeated examples of poor care in multiple cases. Donna Ockenden, a senior midwife who has been leading the inquiry into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals explained "I think one of the major issues around maternity services is that we’re not treated in the same way as A&E. I think that people fail to see that actually, maternity is a woman’s A&E department, you can start a shift in any maternity unit, you can plan what you think you’re going to do. But actually you don’t know what is going to come in the front door.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 12 August 2021 -
News Article
CQC found emergency caesarean taking place without basic safety measures
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
After an unannounced inspection at the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust in June, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found an “emergency c-section was being performed without the correct equipment available to monitor the mother”. According to reports, the inspectors stepped in immediately to raise concerns, which was then corrected straight away. In a letter to the trust, the CQC wrote, “Overall, we were concerned that the safety culture in the service was underdeveloped. There were no dedicated maternity safety huddles in line with national guidance. Handovers doubled up as safety huddles. During our observations of handovers, we saw that staff did not discuss safety issues and the format was not safety focused.” Read full story (paywalled). Source: HSJ, 6 August 2021 -
News Article
Pregnant women urged to get jab as majority unvaccinated
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, England's chief midwife has sent a letter to midwives, obstetricians and GP practices urging them to encourage pregnant women to get double-vaccinated. "Vaccines save lives, and this is another stark reminder that the Covid-19 jab can keep you, your baby and your loved ones, safe and out of hospital." Dunkley-Bent has said and recommends advice on jabs be offered at every opportunity. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 30 July 2021 -
News Article
Nurses drafted in to shore up understaffed maternity unit
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Nurses are being drafted in to an NHS hospital to help support the maternity unit due to dozens of midwife vacancies. According to the Royal College of Midwives, they were worried the staff shortages were becoming more widespread as the NHS are becoming more desperate to fill the vacancies, however, the College has warned against using registered nurses instead of midwives as it could have an impact on the care of women and babies. Amid staff shortages at Basildon Hospital, there is now an active consideration to move planned caesarean sections to Southend Hospital, part of the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. One worker has said “Basildon doesn't feel like a centre of excellence at the moment. I worry that flooding a department with newly qualified midwives and agency workies is a recipe for patient harm.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 28 July 2021
