Throughout August, the Cochrane UK team are running a new special series; ‘Maternity Matters’.

Maternity Matters is series of blogs and other resources, including graphics and podcasts, sharing some of the latest evidence on women's and babies' health, from pregnancy through to the early days after birth. 

The series focuses on NHS priorities on maternity and highlights new Cochrane Reviews or research. The blogs look at risk reduction in pregnancy with new Cochrane Reviews on smoking cessation and vitamin D; on women’s experiences and particular needs in pregnancy after recurrent miscarriage and after stillbirth; on continuity of care; and on managing the third stage of labour. 

Professor Catherine Swann (@cjswannPHE), Deputy Director of Maternity and Community at Public Health England, welcomes the series:

See below for a round-up of materials and join in the discussions on Twitter, by following @CochraneUK and using the hashtag #MaternityMatters 

Resources

•  Maternity Matters: a special series from Cochrane UK This blog introduces Maternity Matters, a special series of blogs and other resources on women's and babies’ health, during and after pregnancy and childbirth.
• Breastfeeding: A round up of Cochrane evidence A collection of resources to make the Cochrane evidence on breastfeeding easy to access. Topics covered include: Supporting breastfeeding women; treating breastfeeding problems; feeding babies with additional needs; and more.
• Recurrent miscarriage and early pregnancy: learning from women’s experiences In this blog a clinical research specialist shares what their research group has learned from women about their experiences of early pregnancy after recurrent miscarriage, as they look to develop better support services.
• Pregnancy after stillbirth: experience and evidence gaps Susannah Hopkins Leisher shares her experience of the trauma of stillbirth and impact on subsequent pregnancies and, with researcher Aleena Wojcieszek, looks at gaps in the evidence on how to care for such women and their families.
• Implementing midwife-led continuity models of care and what do we still need to find out? Researchers and Cochrane authors Jane Sandall, Hora Soltani, Andrew Shennan and Declane Devane look at evidence and practice on midwife-led continuity of care.
• Implementing continuous support for women during labour and childbirth  Meghan Bohren, Lecturer in Gender and Women’s Health at the University of Melbourne, revisits the latest Cochrane evidence on continuous support for women during labour and childbirth and reflects on what can affect the implementation of labour companionship.
• What helps women to quit smoking while pregnant? In this Evidently Cochrane blog for women who want to quit smoking in pregnancy, Cochrane authors Jonathan Livingstone-Banks and Catherine Chamberlain look at the evidence on what can help.
• Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy: what’s the latest evidence? In this Evidently Cochrane blog for pregnant women, Emily Carter, Cochrane UK Fellow and Obstetrics and Gynaecology Registrar, looks at the latest Cochrane evidence on Vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy and how it may help reduce risks for mums and babies in the UK.
• The third stage of labour: active or expectant management of care? In this Evidently Cochrane blog for midwives, Linda Biesty (midwife and member of the review team) looks at the latest Cochrane evidence on the third stage of labour and whether it is better to offer active or expectant management of care to women for the birth of the placenta.

Learn more about Cochrane UK, the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group, the Cochrane Neonatal Group, the Cochrane Children and Families Network and the Cochrane Child Health Field.