UK Maternal Deaths Up 59%—This Is a Crisis

Maternal mortality in the UK rose by 59% from 2013 to 2021. Even excluding COVID, it’s still up 37%—and the spike started before the pandemic.

So what’s going on? Staffing shortages? Not really—vacancy rates actually dropped. Obesity? Up just 8%. Gestational diabetes? Rising, but data’s patchy. Meanwhile, Black women are nearly 3x more likely to die, and Asian women and those in deprived areas are 2x more likely.

The leading killers? Blood clots, suicide, and sepsis. And guess what increases clot risk? Amongst other things – C-sections (up 53%) and long hospital stays—like those caused by induction of labour, which rose 43%. Nearly 4 in 10 births are now surgical, despite WHO saying rates above 1 in 10 don’t improve outcomes. Sepsis rates tripled. And mental health? 79% of women report birth trauma. This isn’t just bad luck—it’s systemic. If I were Baroness Amos, I’d be listening to the families living this nightmare and the MIDWIVES that can make this better.

Because a 59% increase in women dying in pregnancy, childbirth and up to a year after is not acceptable.

References

• Maternal mortality 2013 – 2021 (+/- covid) incl causes of death for 2021, and health inequalities MBRRACE-UK Maternal MAIN Report 2024 V2.0 ONLINE.pdf
• Maternal mortality cause of death 2013 MBRRACE-UK Maternal Report 2015.pdf
• IOL and Caesarian section rates 2013 & 2021 hosp-epis-stat-mat-summary-tables-2022-23.xlsx
• NHS Staff vacancies 2018 & 2021 nhs-vac-stats-apr15-mar25-eng-tables.xlsx
• Obesity rates 2013 – 2021 HSE-2021-Overweight-and-obesity-tables.xlsx
• Gestational diabetes National Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Audit – NHS England Digital
• WHO Statement on C-Section rates WHO Statement on Caesarean Section Rates
• Blood clot (VTE) risk assessment royal-college-of-obstetricians-and-gynaecologists-risk-assessment-tool-pdf-4787150509
• Birth trauma Birth-trauma-survey-results__-1.pdf
• Baroness Amos Baroness Amos to spearhead maternity and neonatal Investigation – GOV.UK
• Midwives can make this better Midwifery

Further Reading

• AIMS Letter to Wes Streeting https://www.aims.org.uk/campaigning/item/aims-letter-wes-streeting
• Contact your MP to ask them to write to Wes Streeting https://www.midwifery.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/
• Caroline Flint’s Group Midwifery Practice Solution (Letter to Wes Streeting) https://www.carolineflintmidwife.com/so/4cPZh1sZK?languageTag=en
• Midwifery and Maternity Birth Collective Addressing the Crisis in Maternity Care https://mailchi.mp/all4maternity.com/midwifery-and-maternity-birth-collective-news1-21376032?e=1c67da47de