'Normal birth drive' criticism removed from maternity report, expert claims
Summary
A government review on maternity safety in England removed criticism of a campaign promoting vaginal births without medical intervention shortly before its release. Dr. Bill Kirkup, who was part of the inquiry team, said this removal hid patient safety risks and resigned in protest.Key Facts
- The review was about maternity safety in England and was government-commissioned.
- The "normal birth drive" encourages vaginal births without medical help, supported by many midwives.
- Previous reviews found this approach contributed to avoidable deaths and harm to mothers and babies.
- Dr. Bill Kirkup, who led previous maternity investigations, said criticism of this drive was removed just days before the report was published.
- Kirkup resigned because he believed hiding the criticism ignored serious safety dangers.
- The final report found women often were not listened to by maternity services and recommended a maternity commissioner to improve care.
- Some campaigners were surprised the review said the normal birth agenda was not a factor in poor outcomes.
- NHS England previously discouraged too many caesarean sections but dropped that policy in 2022.
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