Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns is leading a group of 60 MPs in calling on NHS Trusts across the country to ensure no women goes through pregnancy scans or labour without a partner or close family member present.
Despite Government guidance permitting partners to attend both scans and the entirety of labour, many trusts around the country are asking expectant mothers to attend important appointments alone.
In a letter to Chairs and Chief Executives of NHS Trusts co-signed by more than 60 of her Conservative colleagues, Ms Kearns urged all NHS Trusts to allow women to have a supportive person present for all scans and during every stage of labour, and for this message to be swiftly communicated to expectant mothers and their support network.
She also highlighted the horrific experiences of women who had attended scans alone to find their baby had died or who had undergone traumatic c-sections without any support.
In response, the Mail on Sunday has backed Ms Kearns’ campaign, and made it a campaign of their own – putting the story on their front page on Sunday.
Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns, said:
“Being pregnant is wonderful, but difficult at the best of times and it is truly heart-breaking that women across the country are not being treated equally at this huge milestone in their lives.
“Expectant mothers and their partners or loved ones deserve better, and my colleagues and I will continue to campaign on this most important of issues until it is resolved”.
Ms Kearns, who announced her own pregnancy last month, was, fortunately, able to have her husband with her at key scans but continues to work with her colleagues in Government to ensure women across the country are afforded the same right to support during scans and labour.
