President’s Update January 2025

Dear Members,

A belated Happy New Year.

The committee met on 7 January 2025 for our first full committee meeting of the New Year. We have had a productive 2024 and been asked for our comments on a number of relevant subjects including the NHS ten-year plan, the fetal pillow, amniocentesis, termination of pregnancy, and postpartum haemorrhage. We are working with NHS England on the issue of recruitment into subspecialist posts. In the coming weeks we will also be asking for your views on increasing membership fees which have been static for over ten years. We are also please to welcome two specialist Midwives to the committee and are hoping to attract more Midwifery members.

BMFMS is committed to supporting research into Women’s health and as such we are delighted to be in partnership with the Well Being of Women (WoW) to award a bursary in 2025. We will also be awarding two further BMFMS bursaries and more details will follow at the beginning of February 2025.

Don’t forget the BMFMS conference 2025 in Belfast 7 and 8 May 2025. The programme is exciting with a good mix of fetal and maternal medicine. We have some eminent speakers including Professor Kypros Nicolaides in what may be his final lecture to the society. We are covering some excellent topics including thromboprophylaxis, sickle cell disease and congenital infection. The deadline for abstracts has been extended to 6 February 2025 and I would encourage all researchers to submit to be part of this prestigious event.

🔗 Submission link: [ https://auth.oxfordabstracts.com/?redirect=/stages/77079/submitter]

The simulation sessions which received excellent feedback in Liverpool will continue again this year and we have arranged for members of the mMOET faculty to join us for live simulations. In addition, we have a conference dinner at the prestigious Ten Square Boutique Hotel, Belfast complete with Irish ceilidh band and DJ for those who fancy a whirl on the dance floor! The social event is great opportunity to meet new colleagues and catch up with old friends and it would be great to see as many of you there as possible. For those unable to attend in person the conference will remain a hybrid event.

We are pleased to welcome new committee members

• Midwifery/nurse reps, ­Charlotte Barber and Victoria Watson
• Pregnancy outcome rep, -Jane Currie

Important dates 2025

31 January 2025 BMFMS bursary abstract meeting

24 February 2025 Conference abstract meeting

8-9 May 2025 BMFMS Annual Conference, Belfast

23 – 25 June RCOG World Congress. BMFMS session

Finally, I would like to send massive congratulations to Sara Kenyon on her MBE for services to Midwifery in the New Year’s Honours list. Sara has been a major part of the BMFMS committee over the years and we are truly delighted that her dedication and hard work has been recognised.

Our next committee meeting will be in March 2025

Please get in touch and feedback to us if there are any issues you think BMFMS can help with.