In a shocking turn of events, the maternal mortality rate in the UK has increased by 20% over the past 14 years, despite the Conservative government’s previous commitments to halve the number of women dying during or shortly after pregnancy. This alarming statistic has been described by experts as an “absolute tragedy” and a clear indication that something has gone “badly wrong” in the country’s maternity care system.
The figures, released by the MBRRACE-UK research project led by the University of Oxford, show that the rate of women dying from direct pregnancy-related causes, such as bleeding, blood clots, and pre-eclampsia, has grown by a staggering 52%. Meanwhile, the number of indirect maternal deaths caused by pre-existing conditions exacerbated by pregnancy has remained largely unchanged, rising by only 3% over the same period.
In 2015, the then-Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, vowed to make the NHS “one of the safest places in the world to have a baby” and pledged to reduce maternal deaths by 50% by 2030. This target was later brought forward to 2025, but the latest data paints a grim picture of the reality on the ground.
Experts and healthcare leaders have expressed their shock and dismay at the findings, with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) stating that women are being “failed” by a maternity system under “extreme pressure”. Clare Livingstone, the head of professional policy and practice at the RCM, warned that the “unacceptable inequalities” in maternal care, with black and Asian women, as well as those living in the most deprived areas, facing significantly higher risks, have been known for years, yet “meaningful action has been far too slow”.
The audit also exposed stark disparities, with black women facing a nearly threefold higher risk of death compared to their white counterparts. Asian women also had a higher mortality rate than white women, while those aged 35 and above were almost twice as likely to die during or shortly after pregnancy than those aged 25 to 29.
Dr. Kim Thomas, the chief executive of the Birth Trauma Association, described the new data as “shocking”, particularly given the previous government’s commitment to halve the rate of maternal deaths. She stressed that many of these deaths are “avoidable” and that “something has gone badly wrong in maternity care”.
The alarming rise in maternal mortality rates comes at a time when the NHS is already under immense strain, with midwives working under relentless pressure and maternity services stretched to capacity. Experts have called for urgent action to address the workforce shortages and adequately resource the healthcare system to ensure the safety and well-being of pregnant women and their babies.
