Maternity units have been forced to widen delivery-room doorways because of the increasing numbers of obese mothers.
Leading hospitals across the country have revealed they have had to expand frames by up to four inches to cope with overweight women.
Thirty out of 33 birthing centres in London have confirmed that the dimensions of their doorways have increased.
Hospitals across the country have revealed they have had to expand frames by up to four inches to cope with overweight women
While rising obesity is a concern in the general population, it is a particular problem for pregnant women because of the health risks to them and their unborn children.
Doctors say up to 50 per cent of women giving birth in some areas of the UK are now classed as obese, with the highest figures in Liverpool, Glasgow and London.
The news was revealed at a conference at the British Library last week held by Government-funded research body the Confidential Enquiry Into Maternal And Child Health (CEMACH).
Jo Modder, CEMACH’s clinical director of obstetrics and consultant obstetrician at University College of London Hospital, said she had witnessed instances where maternity staff could not fit women through delivery-room doors.
She said: ‘It’s not by much, only a couple of inches. But it causes problems and it’s not very dignified for patients.’
Hospitals have admitted spending £50million on equipment to deal with overweight patients, including £21million on stronger beds.
The CEMACH study found two-thirds of maternity units in London had bought new beds. Most could deal with weights of up to 250kg (40 stone), but one birthing centre reported that it had ordered a bed that had a safe working load of up to 300kg (47 stone).
It now appears that hospitals have also had to pay for structural changes. Siobhan Quenby, consultant obstetrician at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, said the hospital had been designed with wider beds in mind but that some brands of bed for larger patients still did not fit.
‘The hospital had to find a company that made delivery beds for larger women which would fit through our doors, even after the architect had widened them,’ she said. ‘I think the doors were widened by something in the region of around two to four inches.’
The North West London Hospitals NHS Trust said the size of delivery rooms had increased in a refurbishment three years ago and while this was not done ‘specifically’ for larger mothers, it allowed all women ‘more space’.
Many hospitals were reluctant to talk about problems posed by obesity. Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospitals NHS Trust said it was not prepared to give out information ‘because of patients’ sensitivities’.
Pregnant women are classed as obese by CEMACH if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 35 or weigh more than 100kg (15 stone) during their pregnancy. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by his or her height (in metres) squared and is thought to be the most useful way to assess body-fat levels.
Studies have found that being overweight can increase a mother’s risk of diabetes, heart problems and maternal death. It also makes women more likely to miscarry.
Many hospitals are now considering specialist obesity clinics for pregnant women.
The Department of Health said it did not provide guidance to NHS trusts on widening doorways for obese patients.
Now maternity wards are forced to widen delivery-room doors for obese mothers | Mail Online
Maternity wards to widen delivery-room doors for obese mothers
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