Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation in children in the UK

Female genital mutilation (FGM), also referred to as ‘cutting’ (World Health Organization (WHO), 2018), has become an area of increasing concern in the UK and other developed countries due to...

Supporting the transition to parenthood: Development of a group health-promoting programme

High-quality perinatal care is of central importance to public health and the broader agenda for global health (ten Hoope-Bender et al, 2014) In antenatal care, the focal point has shifted from...

Postpartum physical activity and sleep levels in overweight, obese and normal-weight mothers

Lack of physical activity and sleep are two key risk factors for numerous physical and psychological health-related issues (Colten and Altevogt, 2006; Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2015) Lack of...

CPD and revalidation: Theory, practice and lessons from teachers

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulating body for nurses and midwives in the UK (NMC, 2015); its principal role is to protect the health and wellbeing of the public by ensuring that...

Breast milk donation and behavioural science

If you had told me a year ago that I would be sat here, now, writing to midwives about breast milk, I would have been incredulous As an economist, working in and around government for more than half a...

The dangerously high cost of poor communication

Many of the legal cases discussed in this column relate to circumstances surrounding the birth Less usual are claims focussing on postnatal issues—particularly breastfeeding—but such a claim has just...

Dear Secretary of State

I write in my capacity as a consultant midwife regarding my serious concerns about the impact of the ‘cost recovery’ programme on upfront charging on community midwifery for overseas visitors...

Parents' experiences of clinical care during second trimester miscarriage

Background Second trimester miscarriage is defined as pregnancy loss after 12 weeks and before 24 weeks gestation. The care that parents receive has been shown to greatly influence the woman's...

Women's experience of their sexual function during pregnancy and after childbirth: a qualitative survey

Women's sexual function is a multifaceted phenomenon that mirrors psychological, physiological, sociocultural, inter- and intra-personal influences, including the health of the whole body and internal...

Are women empowered to make decisions about the use of antidepressants in pregnancy?

Depression and anxiety are two of the most common health problems in pregnancy in the UK, affecting 12% and 13% of women, respectively (Heron et al, 2004; Gavin et al, 2005; Vesga-Lopez et al, 2008)...

Embedding evidence-based practice within the pre-registration midwifery curriculum

Research and evidence-based midwifery practice are essential in order to drive the profession forward and deliver safe, effective, women-centred care Evidence-based practice is not a new concept, but...

Restorative supervision for student midwives: The professional midwifery advocate in the classroom