This weekend, the letter below, drafted by Birthrights and Pregnant then Screwed and signed by over 100 MPs, academics, charities and campaigners, was sent to Simon Stevens (Chief Executive of NHS England and Improvement). The letter and the survey it refers to were covered in the Mail on Sunday.
Dear Simon Stevens (the Chief Executive of the NHS),
We are writing to you as a group of academics, healthcare professionals, politicians, charities and campaigners and MPs to ask that the NHS recognises pregnancy and birth as one of life’s most significant events and not an illness or medical procedure. We ask that you consider the evidence which shows that women have fewer complications during childbirth if they have a trusted partner with them, and we ask that you take into consideration the increased levels of stress and anxiety amongst pregnant women who are forced to go through other parts of their maternity journey without a trusted companion.
A recent survey of 15,000 pregnant women and new mothers by the charity and campaign group, Pregnant Then Screwed found that 90% of pregnant women say hospital restrictions are having a negative impact on their mental health, with 97% saying that the restrictions have increased their anxiety around childbirth. Worryingly, of the women who gave birth in a hospital which prevented partners attending until they were in established labour, 17.4% said they felt forced to have a vaginal examination and 82% cited that this felt like a requirement so that they could be reunited with their partner. This is a breach of women’s human rights when they are at their most vulnerable. The long term impact of these restrictions for new mothers and their family could be catastrophic.
We firmly believe that no-one should have to hear that their baby’s heart has stopped beating without their partner’s hand to hold. No one should be induced while their partner sleeps in a bike shed in the car park for days on end. No one should be left to look after a newborn baby whilst recovering from major abdominal surgery.
In addition to ensuring the 15 minute rapid COVID-19 tests are swiftly rolled out in maternity settings, we ask that you direct Trusts in England to treat maternity as a special case where women have the right to be supported and partners have a right to be present during each step of their maternity journey. Coronavirus has stolen so many precious moments from so many people. It doesn’t have to be this way in maternity services. Where other precautions are in place there is little evidence that partners increase the infection risk to staff or other service users. Please ensure that parents-to-be can have the birth they deserve even during the pandemic.
Yours sincerely,
Birthrights
Pregnant Then Screwed
Birth Trauma Association
The Fatherhood Institute
The BirthBliss Academy
AIMS
Make Birth Better
British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS)
Association of Radical Midwives (ARM)
NCT
Holly Avis, author of change.org petition on visitor restrictions
Birth Companions
Alicia Kearns MP for Rutland and Melton
Alex Stafford MP for Rother Valley
Andrea Leadsom MP for South Northamptonshire
Catherine McKinnell MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North
Stella Creasy MP for Walthamstow
Miriam Cates MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge
James Daly MP for Bury North
Sara Britcliffe MP for Hyndburn
Saqib Bhatti MP for Meriden
Ben Everitt MP for Milton Keynes
Aaron Bell MP for for Newcastle-under-Lyme
Dr Neil Hudson MP for for Penrith and The Border
Dr Caroline Johnson MP
Siobhan Baille MP
Maria Miller MP
Ruth Edwards MP
Jonathan Gullis MP
Jerome Mayhew MP for Broadland
Felicity Buchan MP for Kensington
Angela Richardson MP for Guildford
Dr Kieran Mullen MP for Crewe and Nantwich
Jacob Young MP for Redcar
Simon Fell MP for Barrow & Furness
David Johnston MP for Wantage
Brendan Clarke-Smith MP for Bassetlaw
Gareth Bacon MP for Opington
Dean Russell MP for Watford
Rob Roberts MP for Delyn
Greg Smith MP for Buckingham
Peter Gibson MP for Darlington
Eliot Colburn MP for Carshalton and Wallington
Robin Millar MP for Aberconwy
Matthew Vickers MP for Stockton South
Chris Wakeford MP for Bury South
Fay Jones MP for Brecon and Radnorshire
Ester McVey MP
Professor Gill Thomson, Professor in Perinatal Health, University of Central Lancashire
Dr Mari Greenfield, Post-doctoral Fellow (perinatal mental health), King’s College, London
Soo Downe, Professor of Midwifery Studies, UCLan
Dr Phoebe Pallotti, Associate Professor of Midwifery, University of Nottingham
Dr Claire Feeley, Researcher/Midwife, University of Central Lancashire
Dr. Julie Roberts, Senior Research Fellow, University of Nottingham
Dr. Camilla Pickles, Assistant Professor of Biolaw, University of Durham
Dr. Benjamin Black, Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, The Whittington Hospital, London
Anna Nelson, PhD Candidate (Bioethics & Medical Jurisprudence), University of Manchester
Bliss
Dr Elizabeth Chloe Romanis, Assistant Professor of Biolaw, University of Durham
Dr Sebastian Walsh. Public Health Registrar, East of England.
Rebecca Best, Senior Midwife during the first peak, current Public Health Registrar, East of England
Sheena Byrom OBE Midwife Consultant, Director All4Maternity
Dr Kylie Baldwin, Centre for Reproduction Research, De Montfort University
Mary Newburn, Service User Researcher
Rebecca Blaylock, Research and Engagement Lead, WRISK and BPAS
Dr Vicky Fallon, Lecturer in Perinatal Psychology, University of Liverpool
Caitlin Dean, RGN MSc, Chairperson Pregnancy Sickness Support
Fiona Woollard, Professor of Philosophy, University of Southampton
Jane Fisher, Director, Antenatal Results and Choices
Owen Thomas, Head of Programmes (Fathers), Future Men,
Irene Petersen, Professor of Epidemiology and Health Informatics, UCL
Amber Marshall, BigBirthas.co.uk
Dr Pam Lowe, Senior Lecturer, Aston University
Professor Billie Hunter CBE, Professor of Midwifery, Cardiff University
Dr Maeve Anne O’Connell, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, Cardiff University
Chantelle Winstanley, Freelance Consultant Midwife, Midwifery Unit Network.
Dr Cassandra Yuill, Research Fellow, City, University of London
Dr Jessica Thornton, Paediatric Registrar, North West England.
Dr Sam Bassett, Lead Midwife for Education, King’s College London
Jo Gould, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, University of Brighton
Professor Christine McCourt, Centre for Maternal & Child Health Research, City, University of London
Dr Lucie Warren, Lecturer in Midwifery, Cardiff University
Dr Irene Gafson, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Whittington Health, London.
Dr Jenny Carter, Senior Research Midwife, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London.
Dr Jacqueline Nicholls, Associate Professor Health Law, Institute for Women’s Health, University College London
Dr Flora Bourne, General Practitioner
Professor Mary J Renfrew, Professor of Mother and Infant Health, University of Dundee
Dr Lucia Rocca-Ihenacho, CEO, Midwifery Unit Network
Dr Rebecca Moore, Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Emma Svanberg, Clinical Psychologist
Dr Jan Smith, Chartered Psychologist
Julia Sanders, Professor of Clinical Nursing and Midwifery
Dr Kayleigh Sheen, Lecturer in Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University
Keith Reed, CEO Twins Trust
Karen Khan, Senior Lecturer & Lead Midwife for Education, University of Bradford
Dimitrios Siassakos, Associate Professor & Consultant in Obstetrics, University College London & University College London Hospital
Dr Luisa Cescutti-Butler, Senior Lecturer Midwifery, Bournemouth University
Nessa McHugh, Midwifery Lecturer, Edinburgh Napier University
Dr Nadine Edwards, Trustee, The Pregnancy and Parents Centre, Edinburgh
Alexander Heazell, Professor of Obstetrics, University of Manchester and Consultant Obstetrician, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Natalie Carter, Consultant Midwife, Chelsea & Westminster NHS Trust
Andrew Weeks, Professor of International Maternal Health, University of Liverpool
Sally Shelldon, Professor of Law, Kent Law School
Gill Boden Birth, Practice and Politics Forum.
British Intrapartum Care Society
Louise Page, Consultant Obstetrician
Michelle Quashie, Service User representative
SANDS
Dr Sheelagh McGuinness, Reader in Law, University of Bristol
Mavis Kirkham, Emeritus Professor of Midwifery
Clare Winter, Senior Lecturer Midwifery, University of Brighton
If I could have added my signature in time, I would have. Hoping for a positive change after far too long. In the meantime, please do feel free to direct any birthing couple adversely affected by the current measures to me should they need emotional support and birth healing. @SyntonicBirth
Has this also gone to the devolved nations?
Hi Cate
No this specific letter hasn’t – just to NHS England. As you will know the situation in each devolved nation is slightly different and in fact England is the country that has been least directive about the need to allow birth partners in at certain points in the maternity pathway. We are writing to individual Board/Trusts in the other UK nations and are taking each nation on a case by case basis. Hope that helps answer your question!
Thanks
Maria
Has anyone considered judicial review of a trust that stops partners being present at scans and throughout labour? My daughter is expecting her first child and has complications in her pregnancy so has hard decisions to make at her next scan but apparently she has to make them alone. This is so wrong. Your advice is great but what about taking some action? I am a public lawyer and this seems ripe for a challenge.
Thanks Julia We have looked at a JR with our legal partners before the national guidance changed in December and continue to keep that option in mind for the right case.