How many women die in childbirth in the UK ?

The number of women dying during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth is at its highest level in the UK for almost 20 years, with stark geographical and ethnic inequalities, a study published on Thursday found.

According to the MBRRACE-UK national epidemiological survey conducted by a research unit mainly attached to the universities of Oxford and Leicester and which collects data on maternal, infant and stillborn deaths, there were 13.41 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies in the period 2020-2022, primarily due to thrombosis and thromboembolism. This is the highest since the period 2003-2005.

Excluding deaths related to Covid-19 - the second most common cause over the period - the maternal mortality rate stands at 11.54 per 100,000 pregnancies, up 31% compared to 2017/19. However, the United Kingdom maintains one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, slightly higher than that of France (around 8 per 100,000 according to the UN) or Canada (9). 

The study comes after a series of scandals in recent years involving public health service maternity units where inadequate care has led to dozens of preventable deaths of babies and mothers. The MBRRACE-UK report has "identified clear examples of maternity units under pressure", said Marian Knight, director of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, and the rise in maternal deaths is "a source of fresh concern" about the state of the UK's health 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," she argued. Compared to white women, black women are three times more likely to die before or within six weeks of giving birth. 

Women living in the most deprived areas of the UK, meanwhile, are twice as likely to die compared to those living in the most affluent areas. A spokesperson for NHS England acknowledged that "further action is needed", noting that the public health system had already increased its investment by hundreds of millions of pounds to improve care in maternity wards.