How we produce our pregnancy health information

Pregnancy health information for you

We know that pregnancy can be overwhelming. But having clear, up-to-date information at your fingertips can make all the difference. 

We provide evidence-based, expert and accessible information about every stage of the pregnancy journey, from planning for a baby to after the birth.

We work hard to make sure the information you read is clear of jargon, clinically accurate and reflects your experiences. 

Reliable, up-to-date and accessible 

We work closely with our experts at Tommy's research centres and their specialist clinics, which investigate pregnancy complications that might lead to loss or premature birth. Thanks to this link we have access to the latest research and clinical evidence.

To make sure our information is reliable, up-to-date and easy to understand, we:

• ask users to read it and give feedback
• get expert advice from healthcare professionals
• use the latest medical and clinical evidence
• review each topic at least every 3 years
• write in plain English to make it accessible to the widest range of people.

We follow accessibility and readability guidelines to make sure our information is as clear as possible. This means using plain English and avoiding jargon, explaining any medical words, using illustrations to explain text, and making sure important points are highlighted clearly. We use white space, a larger font, photos and videos to make things clearer too.

We have more information about accessibility on our website.

The PIF TICK - our quality guarantee

We are proud to be members of the Patient Information Forum and to have been awarded the PIF TICK. This is the UK’s only quality mark for print and online health information.

To become a ‘trusted information creator’, we had to go through an assessment showing we met 10 key criteria:

1. Information is created using a consistent and documented process.
2. Staff are trained and supported to produce high-quality information.
3. Information meets an identified consumer need.
4. Information is based on reliable, up-to-date evidence.
5. Patients are involved in the development of health information.
6. Information is written in plain English.
7. Print and digital information is easy to use and navigate.
8. Users can give feedback on the information.
9. Information is promoted to make sure it reaches those who need it.
10. The impact of information is measured.

This means you can be assured that what you are reading, watching or listening to is evidence-based, understandable, jargon-free, up-to-date and produced to the best possible standard.

Our sources

Our information is in line with accepted national or international clinical guidelines where possible. Where no guidelines exist, we use high-quality research, such as systematic reviews, published clinical trials data or a consensus review of experts. We also use medical textbooks, journals and government publications. If you’d like more information on the sources we use, please feel free to contact us.

Involving you

We ask for your help to develop and update our pregnancy information so that it's relevant to you and your experiences. We work hard to find out your worries and questions so we can support you when you need us most. We also ask you to share your personal stories with us so that others can learn from your experiences and we can build a supportive community.

If you'd like to help us improve the information we produce, get in touch at [email protected] 

Our language

We want everyone going through the pregnancy journey to feel that our information is written for them. We are constantly reviewing our language and tone of voice to ensure that our information is as inclusive as possible.

We use gender-inclusive language and try to talk to our readers as ‘you’ so that everyone feels included. We use the term ‘they’ or ‘them’ when referring to a baby (unless their parent has specified their gender), as we know that many parents do not know the gender of their baby or babies during pregnancy. 

Where clinically necessary, we may use the terms ‘men’ and ‘women’ or ‘male’ and ‘female’. For example, when talking about statistics or research about who is affected. 

Statement of responsibility

Tommy’s strives to ensure that the information on this website is accurate at the time of publication, timely, unbiased and useful. However, it should not be considered medical guidance or professional advice. Tommy’s is not responsible for errors or omission in the information provided or any actions resulting from the user of the information. If you have any concerns about your or your baby’s health, you should always speak to your midwife or other suitable healthcare professional. 

Working with partners

We are happy to acknowledge donations and sponsorship made to Tommy’s PregnancyHub. This gives credit to the person or organisation making the donation and supports our policy of openness about the sources of funding. We have an ethical fundraising policy, which explains how we work with our funders.