The BBC daytime programme Morning Live has been forced to issue an on-air apology after broadcasting health advice that was condemned as "wrong and dangerous" by a pregnancy charity.
Last week's episode featured a discussion about private scan clinics, during which presenter Zoe Hardman suggested that pregnant women concerned about their baby's wellbeing could use a stethoscope at home, or ask their midwife about electronic fetal monitoring.
The charity Tommy's immediately issued an "urgent reminder" to viewers, stating that the advice was not only incorrect but potentially harmful, as home devices could provide false reassurance. The charity stressed that no home scanning device, doppler or app can confirm a baby is well, and that listening to a baby's heartbeat should only be done by a midwife or health professional.
The BBC later confirmed to Tommy's that the information would be corrected, and an edit was made. A pop-up notice now appears on iPlayer viewing of the episode, clarifying that the programme "mistakenly claims" pregnant women can use a stethoscope at home, and advising anyone worried about a reduction in movements to contact their maternity unit.
On a subsequent edition of Morning Live, presenters Kimberley Walsh and Gethin Jones addressed the error, reading out a message from a midwife named Debbie who explained that a stethoscope can often pick up the mother's own heartbeat or other sounds, rather than the baby's. They urged viewers concerned about their pregnancy to contact their midwife directly.
