About this episode

The episode discusses improving outcomes for pre-term labour and birth with insights from a specialist midwife.

One of the key outcomes that we as midwives within the maternity care team need to address is that of pre-term labour and birth – when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, working towards improving perinatal outcomes. We are joined this week by Dede Thorpe, Preterm Specialist Midwife at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, who will be talking about the experience of women and families who have given birth early, and highlight the key risk factors, highlighting how to signpost women and families to good pre-terms services. Dede will also discuss how the midwife can best identify the common risk factors and ensure that care is tailored to the needs of that woman and her baby, and also deal with and bridge gaps in care for this cohort of women. Hosted by: Sue Macdoanld Contributions from: Dede Thorpe Preterm Birth Specialist Midwife East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

People in this episode

Host: Sue Macdonald

Guest: Dede Thorpe

Topics covered

• pre-term labour
• maternity care
• perinatal outcomes
• risk factors
• midwifery

Keywords

• pre-term birth
• maternity care team
• risk factors
• midwife
• perinatal outcomes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

More episodes of The Maternity & Midwifery Hour

• 19.12 Why moving matters in pregnancy and birth · July 17, 2026 · 1h 7m
• 19.10 Where next for Midwifery? Ockenden & Amos round up · July 3, 2026 · 1h 4m
• 19.9 Putting Women First - Can Ockendon Make It A Reality? - Prof Andrew Weeks & Dr Rosie Dawson · June 29, 2026 · 54 min
• 19.8 " No pregnant woman sent home" is this a demand to build trust with women that they will be listened to or does it go too far? · June 19, 2026 · 36 min

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