Description: Segment 1 The narrator, Jonathan Dimbleby, describes the government report 'Fit for the Future', published that year about the appalling shortcomings of care of newborn babies. A chart of infant mortality is shown, comparing the UK to other developed countries. A father describes his wife's difficult labour and how his son was eventually made to breathe but had suffered severe brain damage. He died before he was a year old. A consultant, Dr. R. Szirt, talks about how there should be an emphasis on learning from past mistakes, and how feedback is needed. The narrator explains that many babies with brain damage due to birth complications survive. A mother talks about the strain of having a disabled child. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:07:24:17 Length: 00:07:24:17 Segment 2 A consultant discusses how more care and services are needed for newborn babies. A chart shows that disabilities occur due to genetic abnormalities in 1/3 of disabled babies, but that 2/3 of this group's disabilities are due to being born too early or too small. Malcolm Chiswick, a consultant who specialises in care of newborns, describes his work with premature babies. He believes that good intensive care for premature babies ought to prevent disabilities occuring. The narrator says that although perinatal care is important, antenatal care may be even more so. Time start: 00:07:24:17 Time end: 00:15:39:00 Length: 00:08:14:08 Segment 3 An antenatal clinic is shown. The narrator explains that antenatal care needs to begin earlier than 16 weeks. Liverpool is seen, an area with one of the highest rates of perinatal deaths in Britain. A council worker talks about the reasons for this, such as poverty, large numbers of single mothers and lack of health centres and GP surgeries. All maternity care is based in the central hospital, which makes it difficult for mothers to attend. An area health worker describes the types of complaints they receive from mothers, such as the doctors patronising them. A chart shows that perinatal mortality occurs mostly in the Midlands and in the North of England. The narrator says that twice as many children of unskilled workers die as of professional workers. Islington in London is seen. Although a very busy area, this has a low rate of perinatal care, due to the numbers of community midwives. A midwife describes the relationship between the GP, midwife, clinic, hospital and mother, and stresses the importance of continuity of care. Time start: 00:15:39:00 Time end: 00:23:55:20 Length: 00:08:16:20 Segment 4 A pregnant mother is shown having a check-up at the clinic. A premature birth is described. A midwife's home visit to a new mother is shown, and the midwife discusses the kinds of problems facing poorer mothers. The narrator describes how the government cuts in midwife numbers will affect continuity of care. Lewis Carter-Jones MP describes this as 'folly'. A chart used by the French treasury ten years previously shows how disabled people cost governments more than good antenatal care. Ten years previously, infant mortality in France was higher than in Britain, but at the time of the film had decreased. Time start: 00:23:55:20 Time end: 00:32:27:00 Length: 00:08:31:05