Innermost Healthcare

04/06/2026

NEW RCOG GUIDANCE ON BABY’S MOVEMENTS IN PREGNANCY

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) updated its guidance on reduced fetal movements on 27 April 2026.

The key message is simple:

✅ Contact your maternity unit if your baby is moving less than usual

✅ Contact your maternity unit if movements feel weaker than usual

✅ Contact your maternity unit if movements stop

The updated guidance moves away from counting kicks or trying to identify a specific “pattern” of movements. There is no normal number of movements, and every baby is different.

Most women begin to feel movements between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. Once you are feeling regular movements from your baby, it is important to seek advice if those movements become reduced, weaker or stop. This is particularly important after 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Babies should not move less because you are approaching your due date. As your baby grows, the type of movement may change, but you should continue to feel regular movements throughout pregnancy, including during labour.

Reduced fetal movements can sometimes be an early sign that a baby needs further assessment. Most babies will be found to be well, but it is always safest to get checked.

If you are concerned about your baby’s movements, contact your maternity unit straight away, even if you have been assessed before for the same concern.

At Innermost Healthcare, we support the updated RCOG advice and encourage all pregnant women to trust their instincts. If you feel something is different, seek advice promptly.

Less. Weaker. Stopped. Get Checked.

https://www.rcog.org.uk/guidance/browse-all-guidance/green-top-guidelines/reduced-fetal-movements-green-top-guideline-no-57/

02/06/2026

We agree with the key message from Tommy’s.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BJy4U19p4/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool for helping people understand medical information, generate questions to ask their healthcare team, and navigate complex topics. However, AI systems can occasionally provide inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or misleading information, particularly when discussing individual medical circumstances.

Pregnancy care is highly personal. Advice that may be appropriate for one person could be entirely wrong for another.

If you use AI for pregnancy-related information:

✔ Treat it as a source of general information, not a diagnosis
✔ Check information against trusted organisations and healthcare providers
✔ Be particularly cautious with urgent symptoms, medication advice, test results and decisions about your pregnancy
✔ Always seek professional medical advice for concerns relating to you or your baby

Reliable sources such as Tommy’s, the NHS, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), and your own maternity team remain the best sources of personalised advice.

AI can support healthcare conversations, but it should never replace them.

27/05/2026

Ovulation Trigger Shots: Why Pregnancy Tests Can Be Misleading

If you are having ovulation induction with medications such as Clomiphene or Letrozole, your treatment may include an ovulation trigger injection such as Ovitrelle® (hCG).

Many people are unaware that trigger injections contain hCG – the same hormone measured in pregnancy tests.

This means:

✓ Urine pregnancy tests can become falsely positive
✓ Digital pregnancy tests can also become falsely positive
✓ Blood hCG tests may remain positive for a period after the injection
✓ Testing too early can create confusion, unnecessary anxiety, or false reassurance that a positive test confirms pregnancy

The hCG from a trigger injection usually reduces over time, but in some women it may still be detectable for 10–14 days and occasionally longer.

If your period has not started by around day 16 after your trigger injection, speak with your fertility team. They may advise a quantitative blood hCG test and sometimes repeat testing 48 hours later (for example around day 16 and day 18) to assess the pattern of results rather than relying on a single test result.

Understanding the difference between residual trigger hormone and early pregnancy hormone production can help avoid unnecessary worry.

Did you know trigger injections could affect all pregnancy tests — including digital tests?

26/05/2026

☀️ Pregnancy in Summer: Keep Chilled, Cool and Hydrated ☀️

Hot weather can feel more intense during pregnancy, so look after yourself and listen to your body.

💧 Aim for at least 8–10+ glasses of water each day (and more in hot weather)
🌴 Stay in the shade where possible
👒 Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen
🚿 Consider lukewarm showers to help stay comfortable
🚶 Choose gentle activity and avoid strenuous exercise in extreme heat
⚠️ Pregnancy can make you more prone to feeling light-headed in warm weather

Small steps can make a big difference on hotter days.

21/05/2026

Can PCOS be inherited? Can it be passed on to a baby girl?

PCOS does appear to run in families, but it is not inherited in a simple “yes or no” way. A daughter may inherit an increased tendency towards PCOS, but most girls born to mothers with PCOS are healthy and many will never develop it.

Knowledge and early awareness can help support long-term health.

Have you or a family member been affected by PCOS? Share your experience below. 👇

16/05/2026

Trying to conceive with PCOS can feel frustrating — particularly when cycles are irregular or ovulation is unpredictable.

Letrozole is now commonly used as a first-line treatment to help stimulate ovulation in many women with PCOS and may improve the chance of releasing a healthy egg.

We've created a simple step-by-step guide showing:

✓ When Letrozole is usually started
✓ How response may be monitored
✓ What happens if the ovaries do not respond initially
✓ When ovulation commonly occurs
✓ How progesterone testing may help confirm that ovulation has taken place

Every woman is different and treatment plans often need to be tailored to individual circumstances, symptoms and fertility goals.

Have you used Letrozole before? What was your experience? Feel free to share your journey below — your experience may help others.

If you would like advice regarding PCOS, ovulation concerns or fertility assessment:

📞 0345 230 3386
📍 Innermost Healthcare, Cardiff
🌐 innermosthealthcare.com

15/05/2026

Today is Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) Awareness Day.

HG is far more than “morning sickness”. It is a serious pregnancy condition that can lead to severe nausea and vomiting, dehydration, weight loss, exhaustion and significant impacts on physical and mental wellbeing.

Many women with HG feel frightened, isolated or unheard before receiving the support and treatment they need. Greater awareness, earlier recognition and compassionate care can make a major difference.

Recent research continues to improve understanding of HG and how best to support affected women during pregnancy.

If you experienced Hyperemesis Gravidarum during pregnancy, and feel comfortable doing so, we would welcome you sharing your experience in the comments:

• What support or treatment helped you most?
• What aspects of care made a positive difference?
• What do you wish had been done differently?
• What advice would you give to other women going through HG?

By sharing experiences, we can help improve awareness, understanding and care for women affected by HG.

Please consider sharing this post to help raise awareness.

12/05/2026

BIG NEWS IN WOMEN’S HEALTH

PCOS is being renamed PMOS.

Why?
Because it was never just about ovarian cysts.

The new name — Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) — reflects what doctors and researchers now better understand:

This is a complex hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect far more than fertility alone.

PMOS may impact:
• Periods and ovulation
• Fertility
• Miscarriage and pregnancy risks
• Weight and metabolism
• Insulin resistance
• Long-term health risks
• Mental wellbeing

Importantly, many women with so-called “PCOS” do not actually have ovarian cysts at all.

Experts worldwide felt the previous name was medically misleading and often failed to reflect the lifelong metabolic and endocrine aspects of the condition.

The international consensus involved:
✔ Global endocrine and fertility specialists
✔ Patient advocacy groups
✔ More than 22,000 responses worldwide

For many women, this change feels validating.

A deeper understanding. Better recognition. Better care.

If you have concerns regarding PCOS/PMOS, irregular periods, fertility, hormonal symptoms, weight changes or insulin resistance and would like to discuss assessment or management options, call us on 0345 230 3386.

Read the International Consensus Statement here:

🔗 https://www.monash.edu/medicine/news/latest/2026-articles/international-consensus-renames-pcos-to-pmos

Were you aware that most women with PCOS do not actually have ovarian cysts?

29/04/2026

Why Should Anyone Wait for Three Miscarriages Before Getting Help?

Please support this important campaign from Tommy’s.

We would never tell someone to wait for three heart attacks before investigating risk factors or offering treatment. Yet many couples are still expected to endure three miscarriages before receiving meaningful recurrent miscarriage care.

That approach is outdated and difficult to justify. After even one or two losses, it may be possible to identify factors such as thyroid problems, clotting disorders, uterine abnormalities, diabetes, lifestyle factors, or hormonal issues. Some of these have straightforward, evidence-based treatments that may improve the chance of a healthy pregnancy.

Just as importantly, compassionate support should begin early — not after repeated trauma.

Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care offers a more sensible approach: earlier assessment, tailored support, and increasing care according to need. It is proactive, humane, and evidence-based.

No family should have to “qualify” for help through repeated loss. Please read, share, and support this campaign for better miscarriage care.

Tommy's is the largest UK pregnancy and baby loss charity, funding research into stillbirth, premature birth and miscarriage and providing trusted pregnancy and baby loss information and support.

26/04/2026

Consultant-led pregnancy care in Cardiff

At Innermost Healthcare, all scans are performed within a clinical setting, with time taken for careful assessment and clear explanation.

Led by a Consultant in Fetal Medicine, we provide specialist ultrasound and prenatal care throughout pregnancy — including early pregnancy scans, detailed assessment, and screening.

Our focus is on accuracy, reassurance, and supporting you at every stage.

🔗 www.innermosthealthcare.com
📍 Cardiff