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Perinatal deaths of migrant mothers: Adverse outcomes from unrecognised risks and substandard care factors

Stillbirth rates in the UK have consistently been among the highest in Europe (Flenady et al, 2011) One contributory factor may be the heterogeneity of the UK population, including the raised...

Antenatal parenting support for vulnerable women

Social adversity and poor maternal mental health during pregnancy can have long-term adverse effects on children's health, social, educational and economic outcomes (O'Connor et al, 2002; Olivier et...

Homebirth in England: Factors that impact on job satisfaction for community midwives

Homebirth rates in England have been persistently low for more than 5 decades, with just 23% of women giving birth at home in 2013 (Office for National Statistics, 2014)

Is goat milk infant formula a safe alternative to cows' milk infant formula?

There is no doubt breastfeeding is the gold standard of infant feeding There is extensive evidence of its nutritional benefits for the infant alongside health benefits for both the infant and the...

Supporting the individual needs of obese pregnant women: Effects of risk-management processes

Rates of obesity worldwide have doubled in the past 30 years (World Health Organization (WHO), 2013) and obesity in the UK is reaching epidemic levels The Health and Social Care Information Centre...

Vitamin supplementation and nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding

The developing baby in the womb is completely dependent on its mother for its nutrient supply, so the quality of the maternal diet is extremely important During pregnancy, increased intake is required...

Decisions around vaccination

‘We can't change the past but this vaccine will change people's futures’ These were the words of Kelly Mellor, whose daughter contracted meningococcal disease when she was 11 months old, quoted in a...

Compassionate Connections: Turning rhetoric into reality

Woman-centred care, person-centred care, relationship-based care, personalised care, the 6 Cs including compassionate care—these are all central values of modern maternity policy in the UK The words...

Considering the needs of migrant women

Unless they have gone to great lengths to avoid any news media in recent weeks, it is highly unlikely that anyone in the UK will be unaware of the current influx of refugees to Europe, primarily from...

Additions to the public health evidence-base

Public health is a fundamental aspect of the midwife's role. Regular contact with women and their families during pregnancy and the immediate postnatal period offers a crucial opportunity to maximise...

Supervision: Phoenix from the ashes

We are all aware there are going to be changes to statutory supervision of midwifery following recommendations from recent inquiries and reviews. To date, there is no formal decision as to how the...

Handwashing and infections

In May 1847, Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (1818–1865) showed by experiment that handwashing could prevent infections (Noakes et al, 2008) He instigated a hand-washing regime at the maternity clinic of the...

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