Diabetes mellitus continues to be one of the most common pre-existing medical conditions to complicate pregnancy and carries considerable risks for both the woman and the fetus (McCance, 2011; Knight...
The physiological processes of pregnancy and birth involve dramatic changes in the urogenital system, impacting women's bladder health in both the short and long term, and influencing psychological...
Perinatal mental health (PMH) relates to the emotional health and wellbeing of a woman from conception until 1 year following birth Midwives have a key role in identifying at-risk women, acting...
Red cell (D) allo-immunisation is a complication of pregnancy that can occur when a pregnant woman does not have the D antigen on her red blood cells (RhD negative) but her fetus does (RhD positive)...
It is estimated that 11% of women in the UK smoke during pregnancy (Office for National Statistics, 2014) Smoking is recognised as a significant predictor for adverse outcomes in pregnancy, increased...
Women's lifestyle choices before and during pregnancy can have significant links to the health of both the mother and her unborn child (O'Keeffe et al, 2013) Women attempting to conceive and those in...
In February 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2015) revised its ‘Diabetes in pregnancy’ guideline to include new recommendations based on evidence from recent clinical...
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP), formerly known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), was first described in the time of Hippocrates (Snelling, 1870) Until recently, quantitative research, much of which has...
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...
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...
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of direct maternal deaths in the UK (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), 2015) A report published by MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and...
Physiologically and culturally, women are programmed and supported to provide an optimum environment for their unborn baby
The ability to safely and effectively vaccinate in pregnancy offers important protection to both pregnant women and their babies in utero and from birth against potentially serious infectious diseases...
Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is defined as the development of an idiopathic cardiomyopathy presenting with heart failure secondary to left ventricular systolic dysfunction, towards the end of...
Domestic violence towards pregnant women is both a serious public health and human rights concern Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been defined as any incident or pattern of incidents of...
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