Imagine a new mother bleeding to death within minutes of giving birth, all because a rare but treatable condition was missed by multiple hospitals. This is the chilling reality for some women facing placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), a condition where the placenta abnormally attaches to the uterus, potentially leading to catastrophic bleeding during childbirth. But here's where it gets even more alarming: despite its severity, PAS often goes undetected, leaving women vulnerable to life-threatening complications. This is the urgent issue that former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is now championing, calling for immediate action to improve detection and care within the NHS.
Hunt has thrown his weight behind the Action for Accreta campaign, founded by Amisha Adhia and her husband, Nik, after their harrowing experience. Amisha’s PAS was overlooked by five hospitals, a terrifying oversight that could have cost her life. Thankfully, a vigilant obstetrician eventually identified the condition, allowing her to receive the necessary care and deliver her daughter, Ishaani, safely last September. Their story, however, is not unique. And this is the part most people miss: emerging data and firsthand accounts from midwives, obstetricians, and other families reveal a disturbing pattern of missed diagnoses and systemic failures.
In a letter to Dr. Alison Wright, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), Hunt highlights the urgent need for updated guidelines. He emphasizes the importance of addressing the flaws in the NHS’s handling of PAS, as evidenced by the Adhia family’s experience and supported by dozens of other women. Hunt, writing in his capacity as chair of Westminster’s all-party parliamentary group on patient safety, calls for improved national surveillance, better risk recognition, and enhanced staff training to tackle this issue head-on.
Here’s where it gets controversial: While the RCOG is revising its guidelines for the first time since 2018, Amisha Adhia argues that the current maternal health guidelines are outdated and insufficient. She points out that since The Guardian first reported on PAS, numerous healthcare professionals and families have come forward, confirming that these failures are widespread and systemic. “This is not my family’s story alone,” she asserts. “It is a pattern, and more women are coming forward. This cannot be ignored.”
Politicians across party lines, including Labour’s Philip Hunt and the Liberal Democrats’ Helen Morgan, have joined the call for action. Philip Hunt stresses that the lack of a clear national picture on PAS cases is deeply concerning, especially given the condition’s potential to cause rapid, catastrophic bleeding. Helen Morgan adds that missed diagnoses of PAS highlight systemic failures, urging the government to work with the NHS to improve training and diagnosis.
Dr. Wright has confirmed that the RCOG will publish updated guidance this summer, acknowledging that early identification of PAS through pregnancy scans and follow-up imaging is critical for planning appropriate care and improving outcomes for both mothers and babies. But is this enough? Here’s a thought-provoking question for you: With lives at stake, should the NHS not also implement mandatory reporting of PAS cases and develop a national strategy to address this issue comprehensively?
As we await further action, one thing is clear: the time to act is now. Women’s lives depend on it. What do you think? Should more be done to address PAS, and if so, what steps should be prioritized? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
