Over-Medicated and Under-informed
What are the consequences for birthing women? It is not necessary to remind readers of the circumstances which empower a women to give birth sucessfully. Birthing in her own surroundings, attended by people she knows and loves, having confidence in her ability to birth the baby and having confidence in a skilled practitioner who will be responsive to her needs and supportive of her decisions.
Ethical Research
Bad Habits - a poor basis for medical policy
In this article, Marsden Wagner, formerly the Regional Officer for Women's and Children's Health at the European Regional Office of the World Health Organization, looks at the origins of and continuing problems caused by the widening gap between maternity practice based on sound evidence and practice which is based on peer approval.
Ultrasound - weighing the propaganda against the facts
Beverley Lawrence Beech's critical review of ultrasound research. Full-length occasional paper available here; an abridged version was published in the AIMS Journal.
Ultrasound - More powerful, more dangerous, more unethical
When Professor Stuart Campbell says he is worried about the way ultrasound is being used on Jean Robinson, a veteran member of research ethics committees, describes some recent studies on ultrasound exposure, and asks what the ethical costs are.
AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 3 By Alex Smith An increasing number of new mothers begin breastfeeding following a long drawn-out process of induction of labour. Currentl…
AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 3 Welcome to the September 2025 issue of the AIMS journal. The theme for this quarter is breastfeeding. An important issue that emerged as…
AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 3 Interview by Catharine Hart Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by AIMS, Kate. I love that this book doesn't try to sound authoritat…
Nine events across the UK and Ireland – all of them free of charge to all practising midwives, academics, allied healthcare professionals and student midwives. The profes…
The National Maternity Safety Conference is back! This year’s event will take place at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham on 25th September 2025 . Building on the success…
AIMS is delighted to be hosting a series of Tools for Change campaigning workshops to be led by Ruth Weston. Ruth's journey of Birth Activism and Maternity Service Campai…
AIMS has written to Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to welcome his announcement of a National Maternity Review, offer our support for the…
Introduction There has long been uncertainty over whether there is any benefit to early induction of labour when a baby is suspected to be ‘big’, known as ‘Large for Gest…
AIMS has written to Professor Mary Renfrew to thank her for taking the lead on reviewing maternity services in Northern Ireland. Her report is the first of its kind to ta…