Further written evidence to be reported to the House
Health and Social Care Bill
12:00 pm
Rosemary Dodds: One of the things that would help would be to pay it earlier in pregnancy, from as early as possible, from 10 or 12 weeks, when women first attend for antenatal care. It should be possible to do that even if women attend later. They can start later and receive the same amount of money. I think the logistical problems could be overcome. It would then have the advantage of particularly supporting the women whose babies are born at 25 weeks. They are not going to benefit at all if the grant does not start until after 25 weeks.
The other thing that could have a potential impact on women’s health in pregnancy and their children’s future health would be to increase the healthy start payments which have been stuck at £2.80 since they were introduced. That is the same sort of level as they were previously under the milk tokens scheme.
Healthy start can commence at 10 weeks and continue throughout the pregnancy up to the age of four. That may also have an impact on the future pregnancies of a woman who is in a poor nutritional state when she starts her first pregnancy. It is a way of reaching the pre-conception stage for subsequent pregnancies and it also goes to all women under 18 who are pregnant, who are at a particular nutritional disadvantage.