Black women are four times more likely to die while pregnant or just after childbirth than white women, according to the latest figures published by Mbrrace – a national programme which surveys and investigates the causes of maternal deaths and infant deaths in the UK. Although this report only includes data from 2019-2021, reports from previous years show maternal mortality rates have been largely unchanged for the last decade or more.
The reason for this racial disparity still isn’t fully understood. It’s likely due to a combination of many factors, including socioeconomic status and pre-existing health conditions. Numerous reports have also shown that black women receive poorer maternity care compared with women from other ethnic backgrounds, which may further contribute to poorer health outcomes.
