UK: The words midwives are BANNED from using because they are disrespectful to pregnant women

An 'alternative' language guide has been created for midwives to use in the hope of instilling a 'culture of respect' for pregnant women.

Three experts devised the list of suggested phrases for common terms, in the hope it will ensure women are 'empowered to make decisions'.

Medics have been asked to say, 'you're doing really well', to women pushing a baby out - instead of the old-fashioned term, 'good girl'.

It also stresses that midwives and obstetricians should never address the pregnant woman as a 'she' when they are discussing the situation at hand.

Instead, they should constantly refer to her first name, according to the guide that was published in the British Medical Journal. 

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has announced it will 'abide by these principles' in its own guidelines issued to its members.

The authors accepted that some may think the new recommendations, which are only a suggestion and aren't from the NHS, are 'political correctness gone mad'.

And the authors pointed to evidence that shows positive communication can alter the course of pregnancy for the better.

'Good communication during the birthing process is critical to good maternity care, but achieving a shift in deeply ingrained language, and the thinking it reflects, is difficult.

'There is a fine line between changing terminology to integrate language which is more respectful, inclusive, and less intimidating for the mother, and substituting vague, verbose language which hinders the original message.'

The guide also asks midwives to avoid discouraging or insensitive language, such as the phrase 'terminate pregnancy'.

Should this distressing situation arise, women should be told it is a 'compassionate induction' to ease their feelings.

And if a medical procedure doesn't work, midwives should describe the attempt as 'unsuccessful', rather than 'failed'.

In another move, it asked for coded language, frequently used by medics to describe certain situations, to be replaced in plain English.

According to the guide that was published in the British Medical Journal, midwives and obstetricians should avoid certain terms when dealing with pregnant women. The list included:

    Painful contractions
    High risk
    Terminate pregnancy
    Failure to progress
    Poor maternal effort
    Codified language
    Patient refused
    You must/have/need
    Fetal distress
    Trial of forceps
    Labour ward
    Big baby
    My woman
    Good girl
    Delivered
    The primigravida in room 12
    She

Anxiety-provoking phrases have also been slashed in the guide, asking medics to avoid the use of 'fetal distress' or 'big baby'.

Instead, they should announce the two common problems as 'changes in the baby's heart rate pattern' and describe a larger infant as 'healthy'.

SOURCE