THE new series of Call the Midwife will feature the birth of a thalidomide baby as part of a heartbreaking plot to bring the issue back into the public consciousness.
Thalidomide was a drug subscribed to pregnant women suffering from nausea in the late 1950s but was later found to harm the development of unborn babies and cause serious birth defects.
Speaking at the Radio Times Festival, executive producer Pippa Harris argued that the issue of thalidomide babies is a story which is still going on to this day.
“It’s not something set in aspic in the past,” she said.
“I think we feel very strongly that it’s an issue that should still be in the public consciousness and discussed and as much done as possible.
“You’ll see the effects of thalidomide the drug on the mothers and on the children they gave birth to, but also on their families and on the people who prescribed it.”
She added: “It’s very easy to overlook the fact that clearly for the doctor who prescribed this drug for the women, that’s a pretty devastating discovery when they realise what they’ve done.”
Common birth defects caused by the drug include limbs being short or imperfectly formed and irregular eyes, ears and hearts.
More than 10,000 babies were born with thalidomide-related disabilities worldwide during the late 1950s and early 1960s, with around 40% not surviving the birth or dying shortly after.
Thalidomide was withdrawn in 1961 and a warning was issued by the UK government in May 1962.
Despite the drug making a brief appearance in the finale of series four when a doctor prescribed it to a pregnant mother suffering from morning sickness, writer Heidi Thomas said viewers have been eager to see the programme tackle a substantial thalidomide plot since the series became established.
“It was something we wanted to do with the utmost sense of emotional and historic responsibility,” she said.
She said the plot-line will reflect the time it took doctors to realise the link between the drug and its devastating effects on unborn children.
“We have a thalidomide baby born in the first episode of this series and as the series unfolds more questions are being asked,” she said.
“What you’ll find when this episode is shown is that the word thalidomide is never used or referenced because nobody understands the connection or cause at that point.”
A specially-made prosthetic baby was used to film the birth scene in episode one, and Heidi said it became a “special child” to the cast and crew.
“To be honest, we’re [usually] a bit casual with [prosthetic babies],” she admitted.
“The midwife shouts at us, ‘Stop carrying that baby round by its arm!’. But this little baby affected by thalidomide is called baby Susan in the script and we called her Baby Susan. At every point in the birthing sequences, somebody would be holding her. She never went back in the box.”
Actress Emerald Fennel, who plays Patsy Mount and delivers Baby Susan, described it as “incredibly moving”.
“I think of all of the days that we filmed a birth, it was the most sombre and respectful,” she said.
The fifth instalment of the series, which was recently awarded Best Family Drama at the TV Choice Awards, will be set in 1961 and returns to our screens next year.