About the film
IN UTERO brings together for the first time convincing data that explains that we are not only our genes but a product of our environment as well.
Through enlightening and oftentimes poignant interviews with experts and pioneers, IN UTERO paints a complex tapestry of the human experience from conception to birth. Tapping into cultural myths, popular movies, and technological trends, the film demonstrates how our experiences in utero – particularly traumatic events – preoccupy us throughout our lives, impacting our decisions and shaping society.
Stay tuned for information on IN UTERO II, a follow-up documentary about healing in utero trauma, which is currently in production.
About Improving Me
Welcome to the Improving Me, screening of IN UTERO the documentary. We are the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Women's and Children's Services Partnership dedicated to improving women’s health and maternity services. We are a partnership of 27 NHS organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside aiming to improve the experience of all women and babies. The partnership is one of the NHS Vanguard's New Care model initiatives, and one of seven maternity pioneers in the country. As a vanguard we pioneer social prescribing developments nationally and internationally in maternity and early years contexts and have been harnessing the big and small screen to make this happen. We are therefore delighted to be working with the IN UTERO team to bring this documentary in to your homes and workplaces from the 10-31 January 2022 to explore what we all believe to be one of the most compelling subjects of the 21st century, life in the womb. And most importantly open up an informed discussion and promote dialogue about what matters and why.
Social prescribing in a maternity and early years context
The Improving Me Partnership developed and launched a Social Prescribing Concordat for Creative Health as part of dedicated NHS70 celebrations in July 2018. This celebratory programme included a Women's and Children's Symposium featuring contributions from academics and practitioners and our women and families. The concordat outlined the role and contribution of social prescribing in helping reduce health inequalities whilst underlining the need to increase women’s agency. This work helped create a roadmap and ambition to capitalise on innovations afforded from better cross sector collaboration and partnership working facilitated through non-clinical interventions. IN UTERO is a further articulation of this work and is all about scalability.
Our History
Early Adopter & Pioneer - Maternity Choice and Personalisation Care
In 2016 Improving Me was identified as a Maternity Transformation Programme Early Adopter site and a Maternity Choice and Personalisation Care Pioneer Programme – one of only two sites nationally to achieve both statuses.
What is an Early Adopter site?
A key recommendation of the Better Births report was that NHS England should: “seek volunteer localities to act as early adopters” to drive improvement for change and test new ways to deliver care. Cheshire and Merseyside is one of only seven sites nationwide chosen lead the way in maternity transformation.
The experiences of the Early Adopters will pave the way for national rollout of initiatives that deliver safer, more personalised care for all women and every baby, improve outcomes, and reduce inequalities. More information.
What is the Pioneer programme?
The Maternity Choice and Personalisation Pioneers were developed to test ways of improving choice and personalisation for women accessing maternity services. This involves empowering women to take control in decisions about the care they receive to better meet their needs and preferences.
