The number of women in the UK who die during pregnancy or soon after giving birth has reached its highest level in almost 20 years, according to research published on Thursday, which reveals significant geographical and ethnic disparities.

A pregnant womanPhoto: Yevhen Timashov / ImageSource / Profimedia Images

According to the MBRRACE-UK National Epidemiological Survey, a research unit based mainly at the Universities of Oxford and Leicester that collects data on maternal and child mortality, there were 13.41 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies between 2020 and 2022, mainly as a result of thrombosis and thromboembolism.

This indicator is the highest since the period of 2003-2005. Excluding deaths related to COVID-19 – the second leading cause of death during this period – the maternal mortality rate reached 11.54 per 100,000 pregnancies, a 31% increase over 2017-2019.

However, the UK has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, slightly higher than France (about 8 per 100,000 pregnancies, according to the UN) or Canada (9).

By comparison, in Romania, maternal mortality was 17.9 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies in 2020, the latest year for which data is available.

A new source of concern for the NHS, the British health care system

The research comes after a series of scandals in recent years involving maternity homes within the NHS, where poor care has led to dozens of avoidable deaths of babies and mothers.

The MBRRACE-UK report “identified clear examples of motherhood under pressure”, Marian Knight, director of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, said, adding that this rise in maternal mortality was “a new source of concern”. on the state of the British health care system.

“Ensuring (women’s) health before pregnancy, particularly by addressing conditions such as overweight and obesity, and providing more inclusive and personalized care must be a priority more than ever,” Knight urged.

Women living in the most deprived areas of the UK are twice as likely to die compared to those living in the most advantaged areas.

A spokesman for Britain’s National Health System (NHS) admitted that “further action is needed”, noting that the public health system has already increased its investment by several hundred million pounds to improve care in maternity homes.