NHS England has introduced the Maternal Care Bundle (MCB) to improve maternal outcomes by standardising care across five key areas. The bundle aims to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, and to address disparities in outcomes, ensuring all pregnant women receive the best possible care. Full implementation is expected across all NHS Trusts providing maternity services by March 2027.
The five areas covered by the MCB are:
Element 1: Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
This element focuses on the prevention, identification, and management of venous thromboembolism during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It aims to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) by ensuring appropriate risk assessments and timely interventions.
Element 2: Pre-hospital and Acute Care
This element emphasizes ensuring that pregnant women who experience health complications receive timely, effective care. It includes the use of the Maternity Early Warning Score (MEWS) to monitor and manage deterioration in maternal health. MEWS helps track vital signs and escalate care when necessary, ensuring rapid response from obstetric teams.
Element 3: Epilepsy in Pregnancy
Specialized care for women with epilepsy during pregnancy is addressed in this element. It includes appropriate management strategies, risk assessments, and adjustments to medication to ensure both maternal and fetal safety. The goal is to prevent complications associated with seizures during pregnancy and childbirth.
Element 4: Maternal Mental Health
This element focuses on the mental well-being of pregnant women and new mothers, recognizing the importance of identifying and treating mental health issues like perinatal depression and anxiety. The bundle provides guidance on screening, intervention, and ongoing support to promote mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Element 5: Obstetric Haemorrhage
This element provides protocols for the prevention and management of obstetric haemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. It ensures that healthcare teams are prepared for emergencies like postpartum haemorrhage and are equipped to act swiftly to control bleeding and provide appropriate interventions.
Key Focus of Element 2: Pre-hospital and Acute Care
Element 2 ensures that women who are or have been pregnant within the past 4 weeks receive the right care quickly, particularly when experiencing maternal deterioration. The MEWS tool is essential in this process, helping healthcare professionals identify when escalation is necessary. As part of this element, Intervention 2.1 mandates the implementation of the MEWS tool across all settings to trigger timely obstetric team or physician reviews based on the severity of the score and other concerns.
Read more https://www.england.nhs.uk
