‘Healthy Mother, Healthy Pregnancy’ event for health and care professionals

Health and care professionals in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes are being invited to attend a ‘Healthy Mother, Healthy Pregnancy’ event on Wednesday 3 May 2023.

Led by the Local Maternity and Neonatal Service, the event will talk about the importance of pre-conception care to prevent complications in pregnancy and poor outcomes for women and their baby.

Dr Sanhita Chakrabarti, Deputy Medical Director, Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said: “We need to act now to help women who become pregnant in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes to have healthy pregnancies.

“Currently about 45% pregnancies are unplanned, and we know that things like smoking and obesity can lead to miscarriage and premature birth. Parents who suffer with mental health issues may be at risk before they start a pregnancy. By the time we see women in clinic however, they’re already into what could be a high-risk pregnancy. We want all parents to be healthy in mind and body before they start their important journey of parenthood.

We are focussing on preventing poor outcomes by investing more into working with parents before they become pregnant, so that we can improve experience of maternity for women, their families and their baby.”

The event aims to highlight the importance of Preconception care and explain what support is available for women across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.

The event will run from 6pm to 7:30pm on Wednesday 3 May 2023 via Microsoft Teams and will give attendees the opportunity to learn about:

• Tommy’s Preconception Tool
• Community Pharmacy Champion training
• Diabetes Patient Information Packs, and
• The importance of postnatal contraception

The event is targeted at General Practitioners, Community Pharmacists, Practice Nurses and Health Visitors. It provides a valuable opportunity for health and care professionals to learn about the latest research and develop their knowledge.

This session will be led by:

• Amina Hatia – Midwifery Manager at TOMMYs Charity
• Peter Shorrick – Head of East of England at Diabetes UK
• Brioni Maker – Health Systems Engagement Lead at Diabetes UK
• Saadia Waheed – Senior Obstetrician at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

You do not need to register for the event, just visit the link below. If you have any questions, please contact Sally-Ann DeSouza on sally-anndesouza@nhs.net.