£1m NHS Study Targets Maternity Gas Emissions in Drive Towards Net Zero
A major £1 million research programme is exploring how the NHS can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maternity “gas and air” while protecting women’s access to effective pain relief during childbirth.
Researchers at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) are partnering with Lancaster University and other NHS and academic organisations on the three-year Childbirth, Choice and Climate Change study.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the programme will run from 2026 to 2028 and investigate how hospitals can reduce waste associated with gas and air in maternity services.
Cutting the carbon footprint of NHS maternity care
Gas and air is widely used for pain relief during labour but contains nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
Previous research has indicated that significant quantities of medical gases can be lost through supply and delivery systems, creating an opportunity to reduce emissions without limiting patient care.
Professor Cliff Shelton, Co-Principal Investigator and Consultant Anaesthetist at Wythenshawe Hospital, said the project will build on previous research to identify ways of reducing unnecessary waste while ensuring patients continue to receive the healthcare they need.
Researchers have emphasised that the programme is not intended to restrict pain relief choices for pregnant women. Instead, it will focus on eliminating avoidable waste and making NHS maternity services more sustainable.
Supporting the NHS net zero ambition
MFT is one of six participating NHS trusts and will contribute to research involving pregnant women, new parents, midwives, doctors and engineers.
Researchers will combine interviews and observations with innovative technology to measure gas usage and identify where waste occurs across clinical environments.
The findings will then be used to develop and test practical solutions within hospitals, working alongside maternity teams, professional bodies and national healthcare stakeholders.
The programme brings together expertise from MFT, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester and Lancaster University.
Researchers hope the findings could ultimately influence future NHS guidance and contribute to wider efforts to decarbonise the NHS and reduce healthcare greenhouse gas emissions.
Subject to approval, one or more MFT hospitals could also become case study sites as the research progresses.
The project represents another step towards creating a more sustainable, net zero NHS, demonstrating how reducing healthcare’s environmental impact can go hand-in-hand with maintaining patient choice and high-quality maternity care.
