The nature of the innovations In both countries, some innovations emerged in response to the pandemic, and some that were already in place gained momentum, such as telehealth and early discharge following birth. The innovations and expanded practices described in the included documents are summarised in Table 2, organised by topic. We then discuss the type of innovations and practices that were reported, and the potential ethical, governance, and organisational implications of rapid innovation in maternity care specifically, and for health care in general.

Table 2 New innovations and expanded practices in NL and UK maternity care as reported in documents produced by national organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic