Over 40% of women may be missing key postnatal check-ups

More than 350,000 women in the UK may be missing out on key health and wellbeing check-ups following the birth of a child each year, according to a new study led by UCL researchers with Imperial College London. The research, published in BMJ Open, is the largest of its kind and shows teenage mums and those living in the most deprived areas of the country are least likely to get these check-ups. In the UK women have automatic access to midwives and health visitors for the first few days after a birth. They should then be invited by their family doctor for a formal check-up six to eight weeks later in line with national (NICE) and World Health Organisation guidance. However, researchers found only six in 10 women in the UK have a record of such check-up. These postnatal check-ups are crucial for picking up any physical and mental health issues and for assessing how well women are recovering after pregnancy and birth. They also provide an opportunity to discuss breastfeeding, contraception, smoking cessation, return to physical activity, and diet.