The Care Quality Commission’s report on women’s experiences with maternity services paints a shocking picture of the deteriorating quality of care for women accessing maternity services (Alarm raised at decline in women’s maternity experiences in England, 11 January). However, the report fails to delve into the specific experiences of women from the Black, Asian and minority ethnic community, whom we know are being disproportionally disadvantaged. Recent data from MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries Across the UK) shows a more than threefold difference in maternal mortality rates among women from Black ethnic backgrounds and an almost twofold difference among women from Asian ethnic backgrounds compared to white women.
This is simply unacceptable, and is symptomatic of the persistent gender health gap, as well as the result of a government that is dragging its feet and failing to take action to tackle the problems identified in its women’s health strategy.
