Many poorer mothers-to-be ‘miss out on antenatal help’

The survey found 44 per cent of women with household incomes of less than £15,000 had not been offered antenatal classes on the NHS by their midwife and a further 29 per cent did not attend the classes they were offered.

Antenatal classes can be paid for privately though organisations like the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) but are also available on the NHS.

Among women expecting babies for the first time – when the classes are especially useful – 26 per cent of those on low incomes were not offered them, compared with nine per cent of first-time mothers with household incomes of more than £40,000 per year.

Evidence from the survey, carried out by Netmums and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), suggests women who miss out on NHS classes do not then go on to attend NCT classes.

Antenatal classes cover topics such as labour and giving birth, breastfeeding and caring for newborns.

The survey also found that a third of all women said they did not see their midwife enough during pregnancy.

Those on the lowest incomes felt this the most strongly, although almost 60 per cent of them were still satisfied.

After the birth, 12 per cent of all women only had one visit from a midwife while 51 per cent only had two or three.

Many women felt they wanted more, with 24 per cent of all women saying they had not had enough help with learning how to feed their baby.

The survey of almost 1,400 mothers was launched the day before the RCM’s annual conference in Brighton.

Sally Russell, director of Netmums, said: “Having a baby is a life-changing experience and where care is poor there can be long-lasting effects on a family.

“Most mums-to-be appreciate the efforts of the midwives who help them through pregnancy and then again after the baby is born, but as services become increasingly overstretched, it is a real worry that the families living on the very lowest incomes are being even more disadvantaged.”

Louise Silverton, deputy general secretary of the RCM, said: “Some of the results in the survey are encouraging.

“However, it is a real concern that some women are being poorly served by our community midwifery services.

“This is particularly so for those on lower incomes because they are often the ones who need them the most.”

Public Health Minister Anne Milton said: “Women should always receive excellent maternity services throughout their pregnancy, regardless of their medical and social circumstances.

“Doctors, nurses and midwives all work hard to encourage pregnant women to attend services early and it is thanks to them that almost all women get support early in their pregnancy.

“But there is never room for complacency.”