Probe into Nottingham maternity failings expanded to antenatal care

More than 20 women have contacted the review into maternity care at Nottingham hospitals, since a "deep dive" into antenatal care was launched last week. 

It will include all contact women have with maternity services throughout pregnancy, until their children are born. 

Former senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who is chairing the independent investigation, has been exploring stillbirths, neonatal deaths, injured babies and mothers and maternal deaths dating back to 2012.

The antenatal cases will form a separate arm of the review. 

Ms Ockenden said the experiences women have from pregnancy leading up to labour are vital in understanding and improving care. 

"The period of antenatal care, whether that is by a midwife, an obstetrician, sometimes an anaesthetist might be involved, ultrasound scanning, is a really crucial time," she said.

She adds: "The quality of that care can really impact on how well a mother and her baby, or her babies are, as they go into labour. 

"I can’t stress enough the importance of ensuring that all women have the highest standards of care."

A letter in nine languages, most commonly spoken in Nottingham, including English has been produced to reach out to communities who may be affected. 

The team are also meeting with community groups, faith groups and charities to encourage families to engage with the review and share their experience. 

The review, which began in September 2022,  is the largest in NHS history. It is reviewing the cases of almost 2,000 families. 

The expansion of the review to include antenatal care comes at the same time, a national landmark inquiry into birth trauma found ‘good care was the exception rather than the rule.”

Ms Ockenden said: "Women and families and their babies in this country deserve better. 

"We have to honour the 1,500 families of Shrewsbury, the more than 1,900 families who are part of this review in Nottingham and the 1,300 families who actually contributed to the birth trauma inquiry."

Families are able to contribute to the inquiry with their antenatal experiences by emailing here.

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