10.08.11
Mothers need more obstetric physicians
Experts say there is an urgent need for more obstetric physicians and more training in this area.
Maternal mortality in the UK is becoming a problem, and needs urgent attention, they argue.
Although there has been a dramatic reduction in maternal death rate since the 1950s, deaths from ‘indirect’ causes have significantly increased in the last 20 years.
Catherine Nelson-Piercy, Professor of Obstetric Medicine at King’s College London, and colleagues are calling for higher numbers of obstetricians and further training for doctors so they can be alert to underlying problems. They also insist that obstetrics be formally recognised as a sub-specialty.
Professor Nelson-Piercy, writing on bmj.com, states that other surgical specialties, such as neurosurgery, urology and cardiac surgery already have medical counterparts, and said: “Many other countries, including Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand, recognise the importance of obstetric medicine and have well developed training programmes.”
She continues: “Most of these deaths are associated with substandard care, and in one third of cases this is classified as major substandard care, where different care might have prevented death of the mother. These failings require urgent attention.”
They conclude that, with increasing numbers of older women, and women with complex medical conditions before becoming pregnant, the need for informed pre-pregnancy counselling and continued expert care is more important than ever.
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