Racism in Maternity Care Still Persists
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Jodi Newton
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Racism in Maternity Care: Persistent Inequalities and the Urgent Need for Reform
Racism in maternity care has once again been brought into sharp focus following the latest report from the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Despite years of warnings, studies, and recommendations, Black, Asian and ethnic minority women continue to face a significantly higher risk of harm during pregnancy and childbirth. This stark reality highlights the failure of healthcare providers, to meaningfully address persistent systemic inequalities within maternity services.
What the Latest MBRRACE Report Reveals
The figures from the latest MBRACE Report highlight that Black and Asian women continue to face disproportionately high risks during pregnancy. According to the report, black babies are over twice as likely to be stillborn compared to white babies (1). Figures released in the report show that black women are more than three times as likely to die during pregnancy or in the postnatal period, and Asian women also face elevated maternal mortality rates compared to white women (2). The disparities point to entrenched systemic failings within maternity care services and demonstrate the dangers faced by mothers from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Recent reporting describes racism in maternity services as a “national emergency”, with the Nursing and Midwifery Council introducing new anti-racism principles to address these long-standing inequalities (3). With support from the Government and the Royal College of Midwives, the initiative seeks to incorporate these principles across all midwifery education and training, with the goal of tackling systemic racism within the profession (4). The NMC will also work with universities offering midwifery education to embed anti-racism, bias awareness, cultural curiosity, safety and respect into the curriculum (5). Whilst the proposed changes represent a clear step forward, it remains to be seen whether they are sufficient to finally tackle the entrenched issue of racism within maternity services.
The Need for a Meaningful and Lasting Reform
The recent reports reinforce that racial inequality in maternity care is both persistent and systemic. Whilst new measures represent a positive change, the scale of the disparity in maternity care among ethnic minority groups suggests more fundamental reform is still required.
Sadly, disparities in maternity care suffered by patients from ethnic minorities is certainly a pattern we have observed in the work we undertake in representing families of brain injured babies, stillborn babies, and other birth related injuries. We hope that the NMC’s new anti-racism principles will be effective in tackling this fundamental and shocking trend, which reduces the quality of maternity care and causes serious harm to mothers and babies.
How can we help?
If you or a loved one have been affected by maternity or neonatal negligence, we are here to help you seek justice and ensure your voice contributes to the push for safer, more accountable maternity care. Contact our dedicated team by:
- completing our online enquiry form;
- or calling us on 020 7485 8811
1, 2 – MBRRACE-UK Maternal Report 2025 – SON v1.0.pdf
3, 4, 5 – New principles will support universities to tackle Black maternal health crisis – The Nursing and Midwifery Council
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