Insight

Advancing Maternity Care for Every Birthing Person

For most women and birthing people, pregnancy and birth will not be life‑threatening. However, the latest maternal mortality figures from MBRRACE‑UK remind us that there is still work to do, particularly for those who face the greatest barriers to care.

Between 2022 and 2024, 12.8 women and birthing people died for every 100,000 births in the UK. That rate is 20% higher than it was in 2009–11, when the Government set an ambition to halve maternal mortality in England. Even when deaths related to COVID-19 are excluded, the rate remains 17% higher. 

At the same time, the data show that deaths are not evenly distributed: they are more likely to occur among Black and Asian women and birthing people, those living in the most deprived areas, and those with complex health or social needs.

What the latest maternal mortality data shows

The most recent MBRRACE‑UK maternal mortality data brief highlights several themes that are particularly relevant for frontline teams.

Patterns in causes and timing

Although overall numbers are small, the data show that direct obstetric complications such as thrombosis and thromboembolism remain leading causes of maternal death. Cardiac disease continues to feature prominently as an indirect cause. Mental health is also a key factor, especially after birth: suicide is now one of the leading causes of maternal death in the late postnatal period, and psychiatric conditions account for a significant proportion of deaths between six weeks and one year after the end of pregnancy.

Persistent inequalities

The brief also shows that some groups continue to face higher risks than others. Women and birthing people from Black ethnic backgrounds are several times more likely to die during or after pregnancy than those from White backgrounds. Those from Asian backgrounds also experience elevated risk. Meanwhile, people living in the most deprived areas have roughly double the maternal mortality rate of those in the least deprived areas. 

These patterns are not a reflection of a lack of commitment from staff. They point to the underlying impact of structural inequality and the challenges services face in reaching and supporting those whose lives are most complex. The question is how to respond in ways that are practical and grounded in day‑to‑day reality.

Practical steps towards more equitable, trauma‑informed care

Equitable, trauma‑informed care is not a new way of working for most teams. Rather, it is a way of making existing good practice more consistent and more responsive to those who need it most. There are several concrete steps services can take, even in the context of workforce and resource pressures.

Understand your own patterns and priorities

Each service will have its own unique challenges and opportunities, which can be uncovered through local data. Regularly reviewing serious incidents, near misses, unplanned readmissions and complaints can help teams see where risks are concentrated in their own population. Involving local partners like charities and lived experience groups in interpreting that data can make it more meaningful and helps identify practical priorities.

Design care around those at highest risk

Once those patterns are visible, care can be tailored more intentionally. That might mean prioritising ‘continuity of carer’ for women and birthing people with multiple disadvantages or building stronger outreach links with communities that have historically experienced poorer outcomes. 

Having clear, agreed routes into perinatal mental health, domestic abuse, cardiology and haematology services means staff know exactly who to contact and how quickly someone will be seen, so that when concerns arise they can get the right help in place without delay.

Embed trauma‑informed communication in everyday practice

Trauma‑informed communication is often most visible in the small moments, such as in how staff introduce themselves, explain procedures, ask about concerns and respond to distress. Simple habits can make a significant difference to whether care feels safe and respectful.

It also means asking about mental health and past trauma in a way that is sensitive and non‑judgemental, and revisiting these questions across pregnancy and the postnatal period, rather than treating them as a single tick‑box at booking. When people share difficult experiences or say they do not feel right, having clear routes to support builds trust.

Support staff to work in this way

Delivering equitable, trauma‑informed care is demanding, especially in busy services. Staff need space and support to learn new skills and to look after their own wellbeing. Regular team debriefs, access to psychological support and practical training can help sustain trauma‑informed practice over time.

This is where specialist organisations can add real value. For example, Maternity by Kimal’s partner, Make Birth Better, is a UK‑based collective focused on reducing trauma in the perinatal period and supporting trauma‑informed change in services. MBB offers a wide variety of evidence‑informed training and resources that turn trauma‑informed principles into concrete, day‑to‑day skills for maternity teams.

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