Does the Welsh Government endorse the use of the term pregnant people instead of pregnant women as medical terminology within the NHS?
Answered by Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health | Answered on 24/09/2026
No. The Welsh Government does not require NHS Wales organisations to replace the term “pregnant women” with “pregnant people” in clinical or medical terminology. Maternity and neonatal policy generally uses the term women, reflecting the focus of the Deputy Minister for Women’s Health’s portfolio on conditions that affect women exclusively or disproportionately. NHS Wales is expected to provide respectful, person-centred care that recognises individual circumstances and supports the needs of all those accessing services.