A leading expert has resigned from a major NHS maternity care review, citing concerns that the investigation may have "whitewashed" the issue of "natural birth ideology." Dr. Bill Kirkup, a prominent figure in UK maternity expertise, stepped down as an advisor to the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation (NNMI), chaired by Baroness Amos.
The NNMI's final report concluded that the system is "not set up to deliver consistently safe, high-quality and compassionate care," detailing widespread issues such as maternity units being "not fit for purpose" and instances of unsanitary conditions. The review also highlighted the lack of bereavement suites, forcing families to receive devastating news in general waiting areas.
Dr. Kirkup's departure reportedly stems from a disagreement over the review's findings regarding the risks associated with "normal birth ideology," a term that refers to labor and vaginal delivery with minimal medical intervention, including avoiding induction and pain relief. Critics argue that this approach can unnecessarily increase risks, pointing to past scandals where women were allegedly denied necessary Cesarean sections, sometimes with fatal outcomes.
The Royal College of Midwives previously ran a campaign promoting normal births, aiming to encourage natural delivery while reassuring women who needed or chose assisted births. However, in the UK, over half of women currently utilize medical interventions during childbirth, a trend attributed by experts to increasingly complicated pregnancies, partly due to older maternal age and higher obesity rates.
Sources suggest that Dr. Kirkup and other experts had prepared a section for the review warning about the patient safety risks of "normal birth ideology," but this was omitted from the final report. While an annex to the review states Kirkup's resignation was due to a disagreement over "specific wording," reports indicate his concerns were with the findings themselves rather than their phrasing. It is claimed he advocated for a deeper examination of the risks than Baroness Amos supported.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt expressed deep concern over Dr. Kirkup's resignation, noting that the issue of "normal births" has been linked to long-term harm in previous maternity reviews. The NNMI investigation was initiated to learn from a series of maternity scandals across England. The review heard from 450 families, received over 10,500 responses to its call for evidence, and gathered input from 9,000 staff, visiting 12 NHS trusts.
Findings from the review included accounts from pregnant women describing unsanitary conditions and from midwives highlighting safety hazards and a lack of resources. Baroness Amos stated that the pain, suffering, and trauma experienced by families are inexcusable and that a lack of accountability when things go wrong is unacceptable. The Department of Health has pledged £41 million to improve maternity safety and announced the appointment of a dedicated Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner.