MAMA Academy makes official complaint to BBC

The BBC One drama “In The Club” is a fictional series which features the lives of pregnant couples. Written by Kay Mellor, it is broadcast on Tuesdays at 9pm.

For two weeks running, the programme included characters in roles as midwives who have indicated that a reduction in a baby’s movements is normal in the later stages of pregnancy and that it is not something for pregnant mothers to be concerned about.

Such inaccurate information is in conflict with messages regarding reduced fetal movements in the national hand held maternity notes given to women to track their health during pregnancy. In March 2016, NHS England launched its new “Saving Babies’ Lives” Care Bundle, a national initiative for health professionals identifying key areas to focus on with the aim of reducing UK stillbirth rates and preventing avoidable stillbirths wherever possible. A central tenet of this initiative is raising awareness of the significance of a reduction in a baby’s movements and effective intervention where necessary. Furthermore, NHS England also published an information leaflet created for women regarding reduced fetal movements which MAMA Academy helped produce.

Sadly, we believe that the BBC’s content in “In The Club” is undermining all this vital work to save babies lives. Broadcasting this inaccuracy may be falsely reassuring mothers that noticing a reduction in their baby’s movements is normal and could lead them not to seek help from their maternity unit. This incorrect advice may be responsible for future avoidable stillbirths in the UK, we believe that it is essential that this misinformation is corrected, and furthermore that it is not promoted in future.

Chris Binnie, Treasurer for baby loss charity, Our Angels, spoke to the BBC complaints line but his concerns had little impact as he received an unsatisfactory response. Given the importance of this topic, we joined forces with Our Angels to write a formal complaint letter to the BBC’s director for editorial policy and standards. It was co-signed by The Royal College of Midwives, Sands, Tommy’s, Perinatal Institute, National Childbirth Trust, The Positive Birth Movement, Birthrights, Teddy’s Wish and other healthcare professionals and organisations.

We want every expectant mother to know that:

Babies movements should not slow down at the end of pregnancy. It is NHS advice that if you notice any change in your baby’s regular pattern of movement, contact your maternity unit straight away. Do not wait until the next day.

Heidi Eldridge, CEO of MAMA Academy said:

“Whilst we appreciate that In The Club is a fictional drama, we are often influenced by what we watch, therefore the BBC has a responsibility to portray medical information as accurately as possible. Sadly, the UK has one of the worst stillbirth rates in the developed world with 10 babies stillborn every day and we are often being told by bereaved parents that they wished they’d told their midwife about their baby’s reduction in movement. As a charity, we are working closely with midwives to empower mothers on how to monitor their baby’s movements, report any change in their baby’s pattern without delay and if they reduce again after their check up, to report it no matter how many times it happens. We are afraid that mothers watching midwives explain that babies slowing down could be normal, will emphasise this myth and put babies lives at risk. We trust the BBC will now support MAMA Academy in our mission to reduce stillbirth by re-educating parents that a reduction in movement is not normal and should be reported to a midwife immediately.”

Please visit our Babies Movements page for more information.

Our full letter of complaint can be viewed here.

We shall of course, keep you updated on our progress at the BBC.