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Fiona Christie was left fighting for life after she lost three times the amount of blood in her body, following a dangerous complication that developed from giving birth to her daughter. The 39-year-old from Edinburgh suffered a major postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) immediately after delivering Rosa in 2009. 

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) today publish a joint manifesto for the general election on Thursday 8 June 2017.

A major trial published in The Lancet shows that a cheap and widely available medication can reduce deaths from severe bleeding after childbirth; the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. The study of 20,000 women from 21 countries shows that maternal deaths were reduced by 31%, and urgent surgery to stop life-threatening bleeding was decreased by 36%, if the treatment was given within three hours of delivery. 

Ahead of the UK general election on 8 June, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists calls on political parties to support women’s health priorities.

Dr Heather Currie, Chair of the British Menopause Society (BMS), said:

"The screening of ‘Kirsty Wark: The Menopause and Me’ is both welcome and timely. It shares information and experiences that women will find useful, but also adds impact to the latest revelations about the serious concerns made in the report in 2002 which scared so many women, including Kirsty Wark, away from using hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

More than 2,300 delegates from 77 countries packed into the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) World Congress 2017 (20-22 March). More than 155 internationally renowned experts presented at the annual event on a wide range of issues affecting women’s healthcare globally. The cutting edge scientific programme, which featured daily plenaries, lectures and breakfast sessions, saw experts share the latest developments, current challenges and new technologies in their fields.

Professor Lesley Regan, President of The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said: 

“This report is long-overdue and much-needed. We commend the Committee for its strong stance on the need for political consensus and strategic, long-term oversight of the UK’s health and social care system. The health and care system cannot remain sustainable without a comprehensive, long-term strategy to secure an appropriately skilled, trained and committed workforce – and the RCOG agrees with the Committee that the lack of such a workforce strategy represents the biggest internal threat to the sustainability of the NHS." 

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) welcomes the publication of the Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View and in particular its support for a more integrated health and social care system, recognising the need for ongoing innovation to ensure a sustainable NHS for future generations. We are encouraged to see that the update recognises the contribution and dedication of hard working NHS staff and that all trusts are working to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees.

Rates of mother-to-child HIV transmission have plummeted across sub-Saharan Africa in the 15 years since a programme was launched to help HIV-positive pregnant women access essential services and medical care. mothers2mothers (m2m) employs mothers living with HIV to provide education and support to HIV-positive pregnant women, new mothers and their families. The programme, which started in South Africa in 2001, is currently being implemented in seven African countries. In 2015, m2m achieved virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) with an average MTCT rate of 2.1% among babies of m2m clients at the final 18-24 month test; significantly lower than national rates. For example, the national MTCT rate in Lesotho is 14%, while the rate among women served by m2m Lesotho is 3.7%.  In Uganda, the national MTCT rate is 8%, compared to a 5.8% rate among m2m Uganda clients.