University of Aberdeen Study to Transform Maternity Care

That the Parliament welcomes £1.3 million in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research for a University of Aberdeen-led study to transform maternity care for pregnant women with multiple long-term health conditions; understands that more than one in six pregnant women are living with multiple long-term health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and mental health conditions; notes with concern that women with multiple long-term health conditions face double the risk of pre-term birth and are nine times more likely to die during pregnancy, while there are currently no defined care requirements for this group; recognises the work being led by Dr Mairead Black and partners to develop and test an evidence-led care bundle covering medication management, communication between healthcare teams, midwifery care and postnatal handovers; further recognises the importance of incorporating the experiences of women who have received maternity care while managing multiple health conditions, and believes that this research could make a significant contribution to reducing health inequalities and improving outcomes for mothers and babies.