News

Five X More’s The Black Maternity Experiences Survey: nationwide study of Black women’s experiences of maternity services in the UK encompasses the views of more than 1,300 Black and Black mixed women who accessed NHS maternity services between 2016 and 2021. This report a vital illustration of the experiences of women using maternity services in the UK today.

Birthrights’ report ‘Systemic racism, not broken bodies: an inquiry into racial injustice and human rights in UK maternity care’ has been published today.

As new COVID-19 vaccine uptake figures in pregnancy are published today, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) are urging pregnant women who have not been vaccinated to consider having the jab to protect themselves and their baby from the virus.

A new research paper, published today in Nature Communications*, shows that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy using mRNA vaccines is associated with a 15% reduction in stillbirths. The paper also shows that vaccination in pregnancy is 90% effective against COVID-19 infection and is safe, with no increased risk in adverse outcomes for women or their babies.

A new study from the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) looks at the variation of caesarean rates and rates of induction of labour across hospitals in England, and assessed whether there was an association between emergency caesarean rates and induction of labour and adverse perinatal outcomes.

A joint statement published by four medical organisations has outlined a short term approach to tackling HRT shortages while calling for the need for women to have reliable access to HRT in the long term.

The government has announced that Madeline McTernan CB has been appointed as head of the newly formed HRT taskforce to address issues in the supply chain.