Commercialisation and entrepreneurialism in maternity

Objectiveagainst an international background, to examine the implications of private sector activity for maternity care in the United Kingdom National Health Service (UK NHS).Backgroundthe private sector and commercial or entrepreneurial activity in maternity services have attracted limited attention in the UK compared with, for e.g., Greece and the Irish Republic.Methoddiscursive paper.Key conclusionsdespite rhetoric to the contrary, financial costs have always featured in the UK NHS. Financial payments in maternity have increased gradually. Commercial and entrepreneurial activity in maternity now includes ‘entertainment ultrasound’, reflecting a greater hegemonic imbalance. The commercialisation of maternity raises organisational, professional, quality-related and systematic issues, which all carry implications for the childbearing woman.Relevance to clinical practicethe childbearing woman shoulders financial costs, whose origins and implications matter to both midwife and woman. The mixed benefits of medical investigations deserve closer attention.