The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today released new guidance to support maternity professionals and women using maternity services to develop a shared language for pregnancy, labour and birth.
The project, called Re:Birth, worked with representatives from across maternity care, including a representative from the RCOG, maternity staff, advocacy groups and service users, to build a new lexicon that reflects the needs and asks of women and families, and promotes women-centred, personalisation care.
Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
“We welcome the findings of RCM’s Re:Birth project which involved listening to a wide range of views from women, maternity staff and advocacy groups, in order to develop a shared language and lexicon around pregnancy, labour and birth.
“We consider this guidance a vital tool in providing sensitive and high-quality maternity care and the RCOG encourages its members to incorporate these findings into their conversations with women.
“Personalising language is a vital part of ensuring respectful discussions take place between women, pregnant people and their healthcare professionals. We must ensure that women are listened to, their preferences heard, and that the language used by healthcare professionals supports women to make fully informed choices about their care.”
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact the RCOG press office on +44 (0)7740 175342 or email pressoffice@rcog.org.uk.
Notes to editors:
- Read the full Re:Birth report
- Read the RCM press release