MRC CRH was delighted to host the MRC Festival on 20 June. The interactive workshop event offered lifestyle, health and wellbeing, weight management and nutritional advice to women who are pregnant or are planning a pregnancy. Support networks, including family members and midwives, were also welcomed. Image Above left: The Team behind the Metabolic clinic. Above right: Professor Rebecca Reynold, Pauline Mullin, head of MRC Marketing and Communications and Dr Fiona Denison. Attendees learned more about the research carried out at MRC Centre for Reproductive Health into pregnancy in obese women and met the multidisciplinary team who make up Tommy’s Metabolic Antenatal Clinic in the Royal Infirmary. Doctors, midwives and diabetologists educated guests on how women with a high BMI can stay healthy and outlined the ways in which the clinic supports women through all stages of pregnancy and birth. Studies have shown that women who attend this specialist clinic have a better pregnancy outcome than women who don’t. Activities offered to the guests included a wellbeing station which focused on achieving health and happiness throughout a pregnancy. It included mental health guidance, wellness advice, and de-stressing tips. Visitors to this station were encouraged to take a selection of helpful resources home with them. An exercise station taught women the best ways to exercise safely and efficiently during their pregnancy and all attendees were able to take an exercise ball and exercise guidelines home with them. It was great to see guests trying a variety of exercises and enjoying themselves! A qualified dietitian offered healthy lifestyle and meal planning advice and showed how easy it is to incorporate healthy choices into your diet. Snack and meal options were suggested as well as portion control suggestions, using food model plates. The audience heard personal experiences from women who have benefited from the support of the Metabolic Antenatal Clinic and took part in an interactive Q&A with the Metabolic Antenatal Clinic team (Prof Rebecca Reynolds, Dr Fiona Denison, Ruth Curry, Aileen Jordan, Deborah Currie, Emma Johns, Caterina Fazzi-Gomez). Everyone enjoyed healthy and delicious snack options including a healthy version of a carrot cake made especially for us by a local bakery. This showed that pregnant women can still enjoy treats without compromising their health. All attendees took home a goodie bag which contained healthy recipes, exercise balls, lipsalves, water bottles, pens, nutrition booklets, fridge magnet meal plans and shopping lists, and healthy lifestyle advice and exercise guides. They were also signposted to further support resources. 45 people attended the event making it a full-house! It was fantastic to hear such positive feedback as people left the event. Isla Onyejeose, a past patient at the Metabolic Antenatal Clinic, said: “What a great afternoon. I learned so much from the clinical team and found the atmosphere really relaxed and friendly - there really should be more events like this! “It was lovely to meet women similar to myself, who require a bit extra support during pregnancy. I had a high BMI which made me very nervous when I fell pregnant and having the support of the Metabolic Antenatal Clinic made such a difference. I was so well looked at every stage of pregnancy and was closely monitored, and I’m glad other women have access to this specialist care. “It was great to see a mix of pregnant women, women with new babies, and various support networks all attending this event and learning more about what the clinic offers, as well as what can be done at home to try and stay as healthy as possible.” Image Selection of photos from a very successful day! HTML This article was published on 2024-09-10
