Newham mums-to-be urged to know signs of life-threatening conditions

Almost half of mums-to-be don’t know the warning signs for life-threatening pregnancy conditions.

That’s according to the Our Chance initiative, which spoke to parents attending antenatal clinics at Newham University Hospital.

The project, run by stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands and baby app creators Best Beginnings, also saw outreach workers visit Queen’s Hospital, Romford, and The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

They spoke to expectant parents about the symptoms of serious conditions, such as sudden swelling of hands and feet or itchy hands, and stressed the importance of seeking early advice.

Our Chance researcher Nilushka Perera said: “We have been visiting clinics to assess the best way of reaching parents and also to understand how aware they are of safer pregnancy messages.

“Understanding how different groups in the community access pregnancy related information means we can address the gaps and target them more effectively.”

A series of videos produced as part of the campaign can be viewed at ourchance.org