The UK Maternal Death Rates have reached a near 20-year high, according to the latest data presented by the MBRRACE-UK Collaboration investigation. The mortality rate for women who died during or shortly after pregnancy has surged to levels not seen since 2003-05.
Led by Oxford Population Health’s National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, the investigation includes data on all women who died during pregnancy or within six weeks after their pregnancy ended in the UK between January 2020 and December 2022. While the full Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care report is set to be published later this year, the preliminary data is highly concerning.
Key findings from the investigation reveal that the maternal death rate in 2020-22 stood at 13.41 deaths per 100,000 maternities. This is a significant increase compared to the previous complete three-year period (2017-19), which reported a rate of 8.79 deaths per 100,000 maternities. Even when deaths related to COVID-19 are excluded, the maternal death rate for 2020-22 remains higher than that of 2017-19.
Thrombosis and thromboembolism emerged as the leading cause of death among women who died during pregnancy or within six weeks after giving birth. COVID-19 ranked as the second most common cause, followed by heart disease and mental-health related causes.
The investigation also highlighted concerning disparities based on ethnic background and socioeconomic status. While there has been a slight decrease in the maternal death rate for Black women compared to the previous year, they remain three times more likely to die compared to their White counterparts. Similarly, women from Asian ethnic backgrounds have a maternal death rate two times higher than that of White women. Furthermore, women living in the most deprived areas face a maternal death rate more than double that of women in the least deprived areas.
Commenting on the findings, Professor Marian Knight, Director of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit and MBRRACE-UK maternal reporting lead, expressed her alarm: ‘These data show that the UK maternal death rate has returned to levels that we have not seen for the past 20 years. The 2023 MBRRACE-UK maternal confidential enquiry report identified clear examples of maternity systems under pressure, and this increase in maternal mortality raises further concern.’
Dr. Nicola Vousden, Co-Chair of the Faculty of Public Health Women’s Health Specialist Interest Group, emphasized the need to address the underlying structures that impact health before, during, and after pregnancy to combat persisting inequalities by ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
The data brief, which includes charts depicting the increase in maternal deaths since 2003-05, has been published on the MBRRACE-UK website. As the investigation sheds light on this alarming trend, urgent action is required to prioritize pre-pregnancy health and work towards more inclusive and personalized care.
