For the majority, childbearing and caring for a newborn baby is a normal physiological life event. However, new research is uncovering a group of childbearing women with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and the related hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) who may not experience labour, birth and caring for their newborns in the same way.

The development of this brief module was led by researchers at Coventry University to summarise how hEDS/HSD affects those childbearing and how midwives can better support them in maternity services.

By the end of this module you will have:

•  an understanding of the evidence in relation to hEDS/HSD
•  an appreciation of how hEDS/HSD may affect childbearing
•  an understanding of the impact that hEDS/HSD has on those childbearing and their families
•  knowledge and understanding on the midwife’s role in caring for those with hEDS/HSD

Study time: 20 minutes

Original content: May 2020
Review date: May 2023