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Marie Lanen
Head of parenting section (baby, pregnancy, family)
According to a Tribune initiated by the French Society of Perinatal Medicine (SFMP), relayed by Le Monde, “it is imperative to rethink and reorganize our perinatal care system”. Indeed, “all the indicators are red”. Doctissimo takes stock.
“Our maternities are on the verge of rupture and it is for this reason that we, gynecologists-obstetricians, pediatric neonatologists, anesthetists-resuscitators, midwives, child nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and users, are appealing to the government as to all the French. We must collectively realize that it is imperative to rethink and reorganize our perinatal care system, because today all the indicators are red.” The preamble of the Tribune initiated by the French Society of Perinatal Medicine (SFMP), relayed by Le Monde is clear. Moreover, the National Academy of Medicine reacted a few days later by issuing new recommendations. “The implementation of an ambitious perinatal plan is a priority and an emergency” according to its latest press release.
Perinatality: alarming indicators
According to the latest figures published by Santé Publique France (September 2022), the infant mortality rate has been on the rise since 2012. On the other hand, for the period 2013-2015, 262 maternal deaths were identified, i.e. 1 death every 4 days in France for a cause related to pregnancy, childbirth or their consequences. “58% of these deaths are considered ‘preventable’ or ‘possibly preventable’ and in 66% of cases the care provided was suboptimal, indicating room for improvement,” the authors say. of the investigation. As for the stillbirth rate (after 6 months of pregnancy), France is in 20th place in Europe… The High Authority for Health (HAS) estimates that half of these deaths could be avoided. On the side of the nursing staff, health is not there either with gynecologists and obstetricians affected by burnout for about 60% of them. Midwives are not left out with 65.7% in burnout. Maternities have to deal with a shortage of carers and are forced to call on temporary workers and temporary workers who do not always have a good knowledge of the protocol in the establishment. For all these reasons, many professionals are sounding the alarm.
An ambitious perinatal plan
Faced with these alarming figures and numerous statements from obstetricians, midwives and user associations, the National Academy of Medicine (ANM) has drafted recommendations so that a new perinatal policy is quickly implemented. Thus, the ANM recommends several actions including:
- Include pregnant women at the center of their health or care pathway by developing and using their personal medical file “My Health Space” as a priority, as a cross-cutting link between all the players involved in these pathways.
- The creation of an observatory of the maternal experience of the maternity process but also a national observatory of perinatality
- To provide, in all structures where deliveries are carried out, for the reception of parturients (women giving birth), their spouses and their newborn child(ren) in suitable premises comprising at least: 2 birth rooms, a pre-labor room, a pre-transfer area for at least two newborns, rooms that can also accommodate an accompanying person.
- To create physiological areas of birth, which could integrate birth houses, in all type 2 and 3 structures.
- To ensure the continuity of care every day of the year, twenty-four hours a day, regardless of the number of births observed in a health establishment.
- Consolidate the quality and reception capacity of newborns in maternity and neonatology.