Released on: 10 November 2022
Responding to the findings in the latest MBRRACE-UK report: Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care, Angela McConville, Chief Executive at NCT, said:
“Our heartfelt condolences are with the families who have lost an irreplaceable presence in their lives. With better care, many of these women would still be here today.
“Safety in birth isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ – it is a fundamental right. And yet we live in a society where women’s safety in pregnancy, birth and postnatally can depend on where they live, their ethnicity and if they experience multiple disadvantages in life.
“The disparity between women who are Black, Asian and from other ethnic minority backgrounds compared to white women, while decreasing, persist. Sustained focus is needed to deliver equitable maternity care.
"Concerningly, we’re seeing that women who live in the poorest parts of the country and who face widespread disadvantage are at greatest risk. We are conscious that severe cost-of-living pressures could push more women into hardship in the months and years to come, so action is imperative now.
“More women who suffer from mental ill-health in pregnancy and postnatally are dying than before. With over four fifths of deaths occurring postnatally, urgent action is needed to support women during this period. Women are entitled to dedicated postnatal checks with a focus on their mental health, but health visitors and GPs should be more proactive in normalising and offering these appointments.
“With the right leadership, behaviours, team working cultures and staffing levels, lives can be saved, and avoidable deaths prevented.”
To read the full report, click here.
