Protecting human rights in childbirth
Last week, a further letter before action was sent to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board making clear that we do not regard one hour postnatal visiting for partners to be enough, and we await the Board’s full explanation of how this decision was reached. The law firm Irwin Mitchell wrote to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board with a letter … Read more
Are you passionate about human rights and want to make a real difference to women and birthing people’s experience of pregnancy and childbirth? We are adding three part-time, flexible roles to our growing team! Policy Officer (22.5 hours/three days) – deadline 1st February 2022 We are looking for a deep-thinking, analytical policy or research professional … Read more
A survey of more than 2,000 women in the UK has found many lacked enough information to make an informed decision about induction of labour. In August 2021, the Patient Information Forum conducted an online survey into women’s experiences of being induced in collaboration with maternity charities including Birthrights. In less than a fortnight, 2,325 … Read more
Today (16 November) Birthrights has released Speak Up, Speak Out, a new film to demystify the complaints process. The film features the real-life stories of three women, whose birth experiences led them to considering or making a complaint about their care. Amy Gibbs, Chief Executive of Birthrights said ‘We understand the current pressures on midwives … Read more
A coalition of organisations who have campaigned on visiting restrictions throughout the pandemic has today written to Eluned Morgan, Health Minister for Wales, urging her to revise the guidance on visiting in maternity services during the pandemic. Despite Wales having no national restrictions on meeting others at present, visiting restrictions in maternity services are among … Read more
With our partners Irwin Mitchell LLP, Birthrights has today written to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board with a letter of claim before judicial review, in response to their policy on visiting restrictions in antenatal and postnatal services. Restrictions currently include the exclusions of birth partners from inpatient antenatal and postnatal wards, and from outpatient … Read more
Report published today (MBRRACE-UK Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care, 11 November) shows the disparity in maternal mortality rates between women from Black and Asian aggregated ethnic groups and White women remains more than four times higher for Black women, two times higher for mixed ethnicity women and almost twice as high for Asian women. Birthrights, … Read more
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has today (4 November) published their final, updated guideline on the induction of labour. The guidelines in its draft form prompted widespread concern from the birth world after it recommended that all women and birthing people should be offered induction at 41 weeks. It also recommended … Read more
The pattern has been the same throughout the pandemic. A simple explanation followed by a seemingly inevitable consequence “Due to rising COVID, visitor restrictions have been reintroduced”. Sometimes followed by an acknowledgement of how difficult this is for everyone concerned. What is often missing is a detailed explanation of how a decision has been reached. … Read more
Perinatal depression and anxiety could cost society an additional £17.5 billion in England, an analysis commissioned by Birthrights, the UK’s charity for protecting human rights in childbirth, has concluded. The article, written by health economist and Associate Professor (UCL) Rachael Hunter and published by the Journal of Quality in Health Care & Economics, discusses the … Read more