Preterm Birth Committee Report

Baroness Seccombe Excerpts

Friday 6th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Seccombe (Con)]

My Lords, it was a privilege and indeed a pleasure to sit on the committee under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Patel. He is an absolute master of his brief, and with his deep knowledge of all medical matters, he was able to procure witnesses who shared their expertise and experience with us.

Research into this harrowing issue is crucial. As foetuses can abort at any stage, we need to understand why that occurs in order to prevent as many tragedies as possible. I refer to previous comments from Members of this House on expanding and supporting research, which I fully support. My small contribution concentrates on midwives—those dedicated professionals on the ground—and the fundamental role that they should play in any birth.

First, I was shocked to find that we currently have a shortage of 2,500 midwives. This is extremely worrying and I would encourage the Government to act fast to address this. For instance, I would like to think that assistance could be given to those nurses wishing to enhance their career by becoming fully qualified midwives. This should be a priority for all of us. Midwives are essential to the care of expectant mothers and mothers of newborn babies, as well as providing the link to increased medical care. As with all medical professionals, it is their manner which is just as important as their professional skills.

However proficient parents may be, actually holding your baby for the first time makes you realise the responsibility you have taken on and how dependent this tiny, fragile person is on you. It is essential that parents have someone to help cope with this miracle that has taken place in their lives. A midwife can be that person, or the link to a local person assigned to that role.

This is even more important in preterm babies, who often have special needs. Midwives give much-needed help and confidence to parents who return home with a baby who needs exceptional care. Many of these parents might not have known that their baby would have special needs and will be in a state of shock as they comprehend the impact this will have on their family’s life for many years to come. Is it not our duty to help these parents as they navigate a difficult time by ensuring we have trained and dedicated midwives available for all?

Things were very different when I was having children in the early 1950s. I was in a nursing home for two weeks and then returned to stay with my mother with my first baby. For my second, I had a dedicated midwife to live at home with us for a month. She soon got me organised and was a brilliant cook, so we all flourished. Of course, family life has changed since then. Nowadays, grandparents are often still working, and parents live far away from them. So, while I would like to encourage whole-family involvement where possible, we should, as a society, give extra care where the parents need it.

My second ask is around improving hospital accommodation for new parents. As we know, preterm babies often spend a long time in hospital so that their development can continue as they strive to reach the correct weight. Some hospitals have staying facilities for mothers, but often not for fathers, and it is patchy nationally. I would like to see more facilities available, so that parents can be near and bond with their baby. Spending time away from your baby in those first days is harmful for the baby and the parents.

I will finish here. This has been a fascinating debate. I hope that it has become obvious that I am fully behind midwives and their roles before and after the birth of all babies. I hope that the Government will do all they can to encourage more of these pillars of society to sign up for this vital work.