Statement in response to Five X More 2025 Black Maternity Experiences Report: Continuing the Conversation on Black Maternal Care In The UK

Responding to the Five X More 2025 Black Maternity Experiences Report, Dr Nandi Simpson, Director: Implementation, NHS Race and Health Observatory, said:

“The findings of the Five X More Black Maternal Experiences Survey report, out today, continue to highlight the stark disparity in experience and outcomes for Black women, who are almost three times more likely than White women to lose their lives during pregnancy or the postnatal period.

“We recognise the survey including more than 1,000 respondents does offer glimpses of positive care and there has been a narrowing of the mortality gap between Black and White women. At the same time, however, too many Black women are still reporting unacceptable levels of racial discrimination and are subject to substandard care and outcomes.

“There are too many reports of poor communication from healthcare professionals, micro-aggressions and lack of empathy, all of which contribute to an environment in which women hesitate to raise concerns, for fear of repercussion. Feedback is vital for improvement, and we welcome FiveXMore’s recommendations for improved access to complaints and support mechanisms in maternity care, and clearer, more widespread information about maternity rights.

“Tackling longstanding inequalities in maternal health is a key priority for the NHS Race and Health Observatory and we have committed workstreams focussed on addressing these issues.

“The dearth of evidence-based interventions to address racial inequity in maternal morbidity and mortality was highlighted through work conducted in collaboration between the Universities of Liverpool and Warwick and the Observatory.  This has been an historic issue for the NHS, one which must be addressed with real targets and support.

“Last year, the Observatory launched its Learning and Action Network – working with select NHS trusts and integrated care systems (ICSs) in England to tackle the gap in mortality and morbidity for women and babies from ethnic minority backgrounds. In partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, we developed an anti-racism focused Quality Improvement approach, to support practitioners to identify and address racism within maternity services. Work currently underway includes tests of change focused on improving equity of outcomes in preterm birth, post-partum haemorrhage, perinatal mental health and gestational diabetes.

“We are working with an evaluation partner to identify improvement approaches that embed the recently published RHO Anti-Racism Principles into healthcare services to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes, and plan to spread and scale effective approaches.

“More recently, we commissioned Canterbury Christ Church University to lead a piece of work to explore the current healthcare curricula and the resources used across health education and training programmes. This work involves both nursing and midwifery students, both pre-registration and post qualification.

“The NHS has a legal and moral obligation to tackle health inequalities. A more joined up and holistic approach to tackling ethnic and racial inequalities in maternal health is both necessary and urgent. The cost of failure to tackle these issues is priceless – it is human lives.”