The Maternity & Midwifery Hour

One of the key outcomes that we as midwives within the maternity care team need to address is that of pre-term labour and birth – when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, working towards improving perinatal outcomes.

We are joined this week by Dede Thorpe, Preterm Specialist Midwife at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, who will be talking about the experience of women and families who have given birth early, and highlight the key risk factors, highlighting how to signpost women and families to good pre-terms services. Dede will also discuss how the midwife can best identify the common risk factors and ensure that care is tailored to the needs of that woman and her baby, and also deal with and bridge gaps in care for this cohort of women.

Hosted by:
Sue Macdoanld

Contributions from:
Dede Thorpe Preterm Birth Specialist Midwife East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

Series 19 - Episode 9: Where next for Midwifery? Ockenden & Amos round up

Maternity & Midwifery are the subject two significant reports which have huge implications for the choices for women and the shape of the profession.

Students can’t get jobs, experienced midwives are retiring and leaving, education is trapped in university financial crisis and now the basic roles and education of the profession are being questioned, with calls to end direct entry to graduate courses.

In less than a decade the objective of Better Births and Continuity of Care seem further away than ever, the statistics for maternal deaths are getting worse, not better, and the objective of halving stillbirths remains far away. We now have revelations of huge failing in maternity services, disrespect and insensitive treatment of women in labour, unprofessional behaviour among colleagues and accusations of bullying of women and junior staff.

Is this a complete picture of what is happening and will the proposed solutions make the difference expected?

Hosted by:
Neil Stewart

Contributions from:
Neil Stewart, Editorial Director, MATFLIX/ Maternity & Midwifery Forum
Nicky Clark, Freelance Midwifery Educationalist; former LME, University of Hull

Live from the Bradford Maternity & Midwifery Festival 2026

Keynote address: The maternity care crisis and lessons learned 
Professor Andrew Weeks, Professor of International Maternal Healthcare, University of Liverpool  

From strategy to practice: what the women’s health strategy means for midwives 
Dr Rosie Dawson, Consultant Midwife, MNVP Professional Lead, South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust; Honorary Lecturer, Teesside University, Scientific Board of Advisors - Active Pregnancy Foundation; Board  Member - North East Obesity Forum

Maternity and Midwifery Hour

Series 19 - Episode 8: " No pregnant woman sent home" is this a demand to build trust with women that they will be listened to or does it go too far?

The "No Pregnant Woman Sent Home" campaign has sparked significant debate across maternity services, professional communities, and among women and families themselves.

At its heart is a simple but challenging question: when a pregnant woman seeks care, should maternity services always provide face-to-face assessment rather than advising her to remain at home?

Supporters argue that every contact represents an opportunity to identify concerns, build trust, and potentially prevent avoidable harm. Critics raise questions about clinical judgement, resource pressures, over-medicalisation, and whether a blanket approach is always in women's best interests.

This live webinar brings together leading voices from maternity care to explore the evidence, experiences, and practical implications behind the campaign. The discussion will examine how services can balance safety, choice, personalised care, and professional decision-making while responding to increasing demand and workforce pressures.

Join us for a thoughtful and balanced conversation on one of the most important debates currently facing maternity services.

Hear about the online poll for maternity opinion on a new slogan to rebuild trust with women and cast your vote live.

Hosted by:
Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:
Neil Stewart, Editorial Director, MATFLIX/ Maternity & Midwifery Forum