A new Public Health awareness campaign is set to benefit pregnant women in Glasgow by offering important information on ways to reduce the risks of stillbirth.
The first of its kind campain will be rolled out nationwide and advises expectant Mums of ‘3 ways to lower the risk of stillbirth’; go to sleep on your side, don’t smoke and monitor your baby’s movements.
READ MORE: Glasgow Springburn Baby Foodbank campaigns for health visitor referrals for formula food
The Scottish Government is hoping to break barriers around the discussion of stillbirth and is encouraging expectant mums in Glasgow to open up about the campaign's messages.
Jeane Freeman, Health Secretary, said: “Stillbirth and the loss of a baby is a tragedy. We need to break the silence around stillbirth and challenge the belief that it is ‘just’ something that can happen to pregnant women.
“In Scotland, four babies a week are stillborn.
“In 2018, Scotland had the lowest stillbirth rates on record which was 3.7 stillbirths per 1000 livebirths. Although the rate of stillbirth in Scotland has reduced significantly in recent years there is still more that we can do.
“While we sometimes don’t know the cause of stillbirth, this campaign aims to reduce Scotland’s stillbirth rate even further by providing expectant mums with an understanding of how they can help reduce the risk of it happening.”
READ MORE: Airdrie mum praises new sepsis machine after baby's tragic death to disease
The campaign has been developed by the Scottish Government led Stillbirth Group, in partnership with NHS Scotland, MCQIC and stillbirth charities, Sands UK, Held in Our Hearts (formerly Sands Lothians) and SiMBA.
Chief midwifery officer & deputy chief nursing officer Ann Holmes, said: “In our line of work we are often asked by expectant mums what they can do to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy, so it’s great that three key behaviours have been identified that have the potential to reduce stillbirth.
“It is important that pregnant women receive consistent advice about going to sleep on their side, not smoking and monitoring their baby’s movements during pregnancy.”
More information on the campaign and how to reduce the risks of stillbirth can be found here.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here