While the UK is generally safe for childbirth, persistent and deadly inequalities exist for Black and minority ethnic women. Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than white women. This critical issue demands urgent attention and action.

Key takeaways.

• Beyond mortality, Black women face higher rates of miscarriage, preterm birth, neonatal death, and mental health struggles. Black ethnicity is now considered a risk factor for miscarriage.
• Significant issues in antenatal care, pathology, and follow-up/reviews were identified for a higher % of Black women and babies compared to white women and babies who experienced stillbirth or neonatal death.
• Poor care experiences are common, with 27% of Black women surveyed feeling they received "poor" or "very poor" care during pregnancy, labour, and postnatally. 42% rated childbirth care as "poor" or "very poor".
• Contributing factors to these disparities are multifaceted, including structural racism, unconscious bias, gaps in culturally competent care, and socioeconomic inequalities. Socioeconomic deprivation doubles the maternal mortality rate for women in the most deprived areas compared to the least.
• Institutional racism and unconscious bias within the NHS can lead to poor care, such as inaccurate assumptions about pain tolerance causing women to be denied pain relief or disbelieved when raising concerns.
• Access to services is also unequal: Black women are 25 x less likely to access fertility treatment. Black and Asian patients had lower IVF success rates and struggled to access donor eggs.
• There is a lack of comprehensive, dedicated medical study specifically on racial disparities in maternity care and outcomes.
• Advocacy groups like Five X More, Mimosa Midwives, and The Motherhood Group are crucial in highlighting the issue, empowering women, offering support, and pushing for systemic change.

Source: Black Maternal Health Awareness Week
Vol 766: debated on 29 April 2025

Visit blkmaternalhealthweek.com for more information.

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Contains Parliamentary information repurposed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.