Maternity services ‘overlooked’ with devastating consequences during the pandemic, charities tell Covid-19 inquiry

The Covid-19 inquiry has heard from a coalition of charities including Tommy’s about the devastating impact of the pandemic on pregnant women and birthing people and their families.

We are one of 13 organisations acting collectively as a ‘Core Participant’ to the Inquiry, highlighting the difficulties faced by hundreds of thousands of families in the UK who experienced pregnancy and new parenthood - including neonatal admission and baby loss - during the pandemic.

Known as the Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting Organisations (PBPO), we were represented at the inquiry today by Jenny Ward, Chief Executive of the Lullaby Trust.

Our evidence argues that throughout the pandemic, maternity services - including pregnancy, perinatal, neonatal, and postnatal care - were consistently overlooked in critical healthcare decisions.

We also said that:

• Maternity services were not prioritised in pandemic healthcare planning, leaving pregnant women and new parents unsupported, particularly in cases involving complications, birth trauma, or bereavement.
• Certain groups, such as those experiencing multiple pregnancies, neonatal admissions or from ethnic minority backgrounds, had distinctive needs that went unheard and unmet.  
• The Government’s lack of clear leadership and accountability in conjunction with NHS maternity and neonatal services resulted in widespread confusion.
• Hospitals and healthcare providers were left grappling with ambiguous, often late, guidance that varied across regions. This inconsistency led to immense strain on services, as well as psychological distress for families.
• The traumatic experiences faced by pregnant women and new parents during this period continue to have lasting effects on their mental health, and with the impact on newborn babies’ development as yet unknown.

Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive of Tommy’s, said: 

“The Covid-19 pandemic caused unparalleled levels of anxiety and trauma for pregnant women and birthing people.

“Having to attend scan appointments alone meant some who miscarried or experienced a stillbirth were without support when they were told about the loss of their baby. Others had to give birth without their partners.

“Parents of vulnerable babies in intensive care units faced extraordinarily stressful visiting restrictions and had to cope without the presence of family and friends.

“There was also widespread fear and concern about the impact of coronavirus on pregnant women and birthing people and their unborn babies.

“All of these experiences had significant and in some cases lasting effects on the wellbeing of those who lived through them.

“Critically, the pandemic also highlighted social and health inequalities that meant some groups were more vulnerable to its impact.

“Many of these disparities remain acutely evident across maternity and neonatal services – for example, in miscarriage and stillbirth rates that are higher among women and birthing people of Black and Black Mixed-Heritage and those living in the most deprived areas of the UK.

“As the pandemic unfolded, significant efforts were made by staff working under enormous strain to keep maternity services running.

“But we know from the sheer number of people who contacted Tommy’s for support, and the tragic stories we heard and continue to hear, that many families did not get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.  

“Despite the best efforts of so many dedicated healthcare professionals, the Government and NHS policymakers were slow to respond to concerns around the way maternity care was being delivered, and it is important that decisions are scrutinised, and lessons are learnt.”

The Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting Organisations presented evidence collectively as part of Module 3 of the Inquiry, which is looking into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the 4 nations of the UK.

The charities involved are Aching Arms, Baby Lifeline, Bliss, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, Group B Strep Support, ICP Support, The Lullaby Trust, The Miscarriage Association, National Childbirth Trust, Pelvic Partnership, Pregnancy Sickness Support, Tommy’s and Twins Trust.