Call the Midwife\u2019s front of cheery nuns and new-born babies might mean it often gets dismissed as comfort TV.<\/p>\n

But the\u00a0much-loved BBC series, which began its story in 1957 and has since moved through the swinging \u201960s, subtly chronicles medical progress and social change, bringing women\u2019s stories to the fore as society evolves around them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, we\u2019re looking at some very strong stories about the way society was changing at that time,\u201d she explained. \u201cAnd that can be as simple as ventouse delivery coming in as a sort of improvement or alternative to forceps, certainly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Season 12 will also be influenced by Enoch Powell\u2019s inflammatory anti-immigration speech, which saw him dismissed from the Shadow Cabinet.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut also in the very first episode of the new series which will probably come out in January if it follows the usual pattern, I realised the timing of that episode coincided exactly with Enoch Powell\u2019s Rivers of Blood speech which made a huge difference, and not a very positive difference, to race relations in Great Britain,\u201d Thomas explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a big turning point I think for our society and the way we spoke of and behaved towards people who had come here from other countries, so that was something we felt we had to tackle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Season 12 will also tackle the Thalidomide scandal once again with the return of Rhoda Mullucks<\/a>, whose baby was born with birth defects in season 5 after taking medication prescribed by Dr Turner.<\/p>\n

And Rhoda is set to have another baby in the upcoming chapter, Thomas revealed, which\u00a0\u201cputs them under a certain amount of pressure and gives them a lot to worry about\u201d.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cWe haven\u2019t actually been with that family for five years, so we\u2019re picking up the pieces for them and it makes for a very special Christmas special.\u201d<\/p>\n