Care & services

Stroke prevention requires aggressive blood pressure control and rapid recognition of symptoms in pregnancy and postpartum, a new scientific statement urges. The guidance details risk factors for pregnancy-related stroke and offers suggestions for prevention, rapid diagnosis, timely treatment and recovery during pregnancy and postpartum. A stroke occurs in approximately 20 to 40 of every 100,000 [...]

A new NHS gene database of 120 cancer-linked genes will help patients in England and their families assess their cancer risk, the health service says. People will be able to have their genetic information compared with the register, which NHS England has described as a world first. Those identified as having an inherited risk will [...]

Women in the UK are being failed by a "dangerously underfunded and understaffed" postnatal care system, a new report has warned. Thousands of new mothers feel unsafe, unsupported and overwhelmed in the weeks and months after birth, according to the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). The report included a survey of 2,000 new and expectant parents [...]

The rising cost of living and poor contraception access have pushed the abortion rate in England and Wales to a record high since 1967, providers and doctors say. Government statistics released on Thursday showed terminations increased by 11 per cent in 2023 compared with the previous year. The age-standardised rate for women was 23.0 per [...]

The NHS is rolling out a new safety signal system across maternity services in England to spot emerging concerns and prevent tragedies. The Maternity Outcomes Signal System (MOSS) rapidly analyses routine ward data to flag issues needing urgent attention. If an unusual pattern is detected, a warning signal is sent to the unit, which must [...]

Ten FemTech innovations have been chosen for Accelerating FemTech: Evaluate, led by Health Innovation South London and DigitalHealth.London with UK partners. The accelerator, part of the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst, supports women’s health solutions at technology readiness level 4 or higher, meaning prototypes proven in a lab or relevant setting and preparing for market entry. [...]

As new European research shows millennials are more likely to miss cervical cancer screenings than any other generation, experts warn that failing to address major barriers - from fear to family and workplace pressures - could undermine global elimination targets. Results from a survey of over 5,500 women aged 16-64 found that 31 per cent [...]

Herself Health and Midi Health will deliver hybrid care in Minnesota, linking virtual menopause support with in-person primary care across the Twin Cities. The collaboration connects Midi’s virtual services for midlife women, including perimenopause and menopause care, hormone therapy and mental health, with Herself Health’s primary care available online and at five clinics in Minneapolis–St [...]

A London executive is suing a fertility clinic, alleging its IVF treatment led to her suffering a stroke. Navkiran Dhillon-Byrne, 51, began private IVF treatment at the Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre (ARGC) in Wimpole Street, London, in April 2018. Ten days after her treatment ended, on 28 April 2018, she suffered a stroke, which [...]

By Dr Hisham Abouzeid, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, Transform Femme Across the UK, women are facing an unacceptable reality when it comes to their health. From pelvic floor problems and heavy bleeding to chronic pain and postnatal complications, millions of women are living with treatable conditions that are simply not being treated, often for [...]