The WRISK Project regularly asks contributors to share their perspectives on a range of issues related to risk communication in pregnancy to further understanding of the challenges faced by scientists, clinicians, policy makers, and of course women themselves...

We all know that the words ‘risk’ and ‘pregnancy’ seem to go hand in hand. We know too that women are entitled to personalised discussions about the risks and benefits that are material to them to enable them to make choices about their care. But what about those situations where the risk information might be – or is perceived as being – more complex?

Rebecca Brione is Research and Partnerships Officer at Birthrights. She oversees Birthrights’ research programme, with a focus on multiple disadvantage, mental capacity and disability.  Outside of her work for Birthrights, Rebecca has a particular interest in reproductive justice and autonomy. 

The WRISK project regularly asks contributors to share their perspectives on a range of issues related to risk communication in pregnancy to further understanding of the challenges faced by scientists, clinicians, policy makers, and of course women themselves when...

In our latest piece, Rhiannon Phillips discusses some of the challenges that women living with long-term health conditions sometimes face when thinking about starting a family. Rhiannon is a Health Psychologist based at the PRIME Centre Wales, Cardiff University. Her research focuses on improving the health and well-being of women of reproductive age and children, using a variety of approaches that aim to build skills, knowledge, and confidence. 

In our latest blog, Dr Dawn Mannay explores the experiences of pregnant women and new mothers living in marginalised areas in Wales.

The WRISK project regularly asks contributors to share their perspectives on a range of issues related to risk communication in pregnancy to further understanding of the challenges faced by scientists, clinicians, policy makers and of course women themselves when...

In our latest guest blog, Norah MacKendrick and Kate Cairns share findings from their research looking at the individualisation of environmental risks during pregnancy. While their work focuses on the US, there are parallels with how risk and risk mitigation is approached in the UK when it comes to environmental hazards. Recent UK media reports on studies looking at the impact of factors such as air pollution and plastics on pregnancies have included suggestions that pregnant women avoid main roads, time their pregnancies to avoid the most polluted times of year and try to limit their exposure to chemicals found in everyday personal care products like shampoo. 

Dr Gemma Sharp, University of Bristol, writes the inaugural WRISK guest blog.

“For many years, researchers have been studying how our early life experiences, including those that happen before we are born, can affect our lifelong health. In an article we wrote last year, Debbie Lawlor (University of Bristol), Sarah Richardson (Harvard University) and I show that most of these studies have focused on the characteristics and behaviours of mothers around the time of pregnancy.

We argue this is because people assume that mothers, through their connection to the developing fetus in the womb, are the single most important factor in shaping a child’s health. In our article, we question the truth behind this assumption.”