Alicia Kearns MP said in a debate on healthcare in pregnancy following the Amos and Ockendon reports, on Tuesday 30^th June

“This week last year, I had multiple pulmonary emboli only a few weeks after giving birth. I am very grateful to Dr Laura Stephens, who saved my life and then was punished for ordering the test which found the emboli. Blood clots are the No. 1 cause of death in pregnant and post-partum women, and yet there is not a word about their risk in any pregnancy pack given out in this country. The national action plan will fail if it does not tackle blood clots as the No. 1 cause of maternal deaths. Will the Health Secretary kindly meet me and work with me, so that together we can save lives?”

A new study, external published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, has found that taking five-minute breaks—referred to as “movement snacks”—every hour is one of the most effective and practical ways to improve wellbeing without reducing productivity.

Professor Beverley Hunt emphasised the importance of this advice: ‘We were thrilled to see this advice on the news as a result of research. The risk of DVT increases with prolonged sitting and sitting for hours immobile at work is not a good idea. We feel this advice is excellent to prevent DVT and also probably helps those with post thrombotic syndrome.’

An AI tool is no replacement for a doctor, and regulation is essential. But together, physicians and AI could prove beneficial.

Thrombosis UK is delighted to be partnering with NHS England to improve the prevention of blood clots in early pregnancy. This questionnaire is designed to help patients identify if they are at high risk of blood clots and give them the information required to discuss preventative anticoagulation with their healthcare professional.