Learn how green maternity care can deliver better outcomes for women, babies and the planet
About the report
The Green Maternity Report combines case studies from the Green Maternity Challenge with lived experience insights and carbon modelling to identify eight initial priorities for sustainable maternity care and a clear set of evidence-based recommendations.
These recommendations are intended to help maternity teams and leaders to drive down health-related emissions from the front line, improve outcomes and experience for women, birthing people and their families, and reduce costs.
Eight priorities for sustainable maternity care
The report highlights eight areas with the greatest potential to reduce emissions while improving safety, experience and equity.
- Improve information sharing: Duplication and errors are common leading to resource wastage and frustration for women and birthing people. Continuity of care models, clear referral pathways between providers and a cohesive digital maternity system are needed.
- Right care right away: Ensuring women and birthing receive the necessary resources the first time will improve clinical, financial, and environmental outcomes long term. By improving these initial encounters we can begin to build the trusting relationships vital to promote long term health and wellbeing.
- Prevention: Remaining healthy during pregnancy can alter the lifetime health and associated resource use of women, birthing people and their babies. Preventative healthcare services must be supported by government-level action to tackle wider social inequalities.
- Streamlined outpatient maternity care: Long and repeated journeys unduly disrupt women and birthing people’s home and work lives. Providing care at home or close to where women live improves experience and is better for the environment.
- Better care for hyperemesis gravidarum: Gaps in the provision of care and conflicting advice result in inefficiencies, preventable hospital visits and hours of wasted time for women and pregnant people.
- Straightforward pathways for complex pregnancies: Travel for additional appointments and the manufacture of pharmaceuticals (if required) add to the carbon footprint of care. Shared decision-making, consistent pragmatic treatment pathways and home monitoring mean a better experience and reduced environmental impact.
- Green labour and birth: Major contributors to the footprint of labour care are N2O/O2 (Entonox®), birthplace energy consumption, and disposable packs and instruments. Tackling wastage will allow us to reallocate resources to where they can improve birth experience and expand choice.
- Improved infant feeding support: Breastfeeding has a lower carbon footprint than formula feeding due to the high emissions associated with dairy farming. Improving access to high quality infant feeding support for all must be a priority women, babies and the planet.
Resources and downloads
A visual summary of key findings from the Green Maternity Challenge and the eight priorities identified through the project
This full report shares the case studies, evidence and eight priorities shaping the next phase of green maternity care.
The full technical methodology, carbon modelling and evidence base supporting the report’s findings.
Learn more
The Green Maternity Report is the result of a year-long collaboration between the RCOG, RCM, CSH and SHC. Learn more about how we're taking collective action toward low-carbon, equitable care as part of this larger programme of work.