Dr Bill Kirkup, a leading expert in childbirth safety, has claimed that the head of a government-commissioned review into England's maternity care altered the final report to remove criticism of "normal birth ideology." Kirkup resigned as one of 12 expert clinical advisers to Baroness Valerie Amos's nine-month review, eight days before its publication on Tuesday.
Kirkup told the BBC that a section outlining the potential risks of encouraging women to have a vaginal birth "disappeared" from the final 174-page report, despite being approved by "a significant number of people." He stated, "I don't think it's right that we should push this issue under the covers. This is a patient safety danger and I think it should be called out as such."
Dispute Over Normal Birth Ideology
Advocates of normal birth, including many midwives, believe women should give birth vaginally as much as possible, without drugs or interventions like forceps or caesarean sections. England has unusually high rates of both procedures by international standards. Doctors argue that increased interventions are necessary due to rising childbirth complexity from older motherhood and maternal obesity, and that delays can lead to litigation.
The Amos report acknowledged Kirkup's resignation, stating he stepped down on 22 June 2026 "as a result of not being able to agree on the specific wording of the conclusions on normal birth ideology for inclusion in the final report." Kirkup, who previously worked as an obstetrician and gynaecologist and led inquiries into the Morecambe Bay and East Kent maternity scandals, insisted the dispute was about more than wording, emphasizing that previous reports found normal birth ideology contributed to avoidable baby harm and deaths.
Report's Findings and Reactions
The Amos report included a four-page section on "normal birth ideology" but concluded that, based on evidence from 12 NHS trusts visited, it was not "currently widespread." Kirkup countered that research by the review team found it "was still an issue, at least in some places." He added, "I think she [Amos] has listened to the wrong voices on this particular issue," without specifying whom. The Royal College of Midwives previously encouraged vaginal births but later stopped.
Amos did not respond to the BBC's request for comment on Kirkup's claims.
NHS Pledges 24/7 Triage Services
Separately, NHS England announced that all 155 maternity units will offer a 24/7 telephone triage service within a year, part of a 10-point plan to improve childbirth services following recent reports by Donna Ockenden and Amos. Kate Brintworth, England's chief midwifery officer, said the service will ensure pregnant women and new parents "will always have a midwife on the end of a call to answer their concerns if they are experiencing an emergency," modernizing maternity services to provide immediate specialist advice.
