Why are maternal deaths increasing in the UK?

Researchers say the lack of research on how women's bodies move and adapt during childbirth, as well as the lack of inclusive data on ethnic differences, are major contributors to the rise in maternal deaths in the UK.

How does the lack of biomechanical research affect maternal care?

Without evidence on how positions, maneuvers, or techniques affect the birthing body, maternity care in the UK relies largely on tradition, anecdotal evidence, and outdated assumptions, putting women's safety at risk.

Home / Health / Maternal Deaths Soar in UK as Biomechanical Research Lags Behind

Maternal Deaths Soar in UK as Biomechanical Research Lags Behind

Q: What is the impact of the lack of inclusive data on maternal outcomes?

The existing research has largely excluded data on ethnicity, despite the fact that anatomical features and movement patterns can vary across populations. This lack of inclusive data could be contributing to the persistent racial disparities in maternal outcomes, where Black and Asian women in the UK are nearly three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women.

4 Aug

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Summary

Maternal and newborn deaths rising globally, even in wealthy nations
No research on how women's bodies move and adapt during childbirth
Lack of inclusive data on ethnic differences may contribute to racial disparities

Maternal Deaths Soar in UK as Biomechanical Research Lags Behind

As of August 4th, 2025, maternal and newborn deaths are on the rise globally, not just in low- and middle-income countries, but in wealthy nations like the UK as well. Researchers have described the situation as a "global failure" and a "major scandal".

In the UK, more women are now dying during pregnancy and childbirth than at any time in the past 20 years, despite a fall in the birth rate. A national maternity investigation has just been launched, and public concern is growing. However, one major contributor to these poor outcomes is being almost entirely overlooked: the lack of research on the biomechanics of labor.

Biomechanics refers to how the body moves and responds to physical forces during pregnancy and childbirth. After analyzing 87 studies from around the world, researchers discovered that not a single one had ever investigated the biomechanics of labor. All the research focused solely on pregnancy, leaving a critical gap in understanding how women's bodies actually move, adapt, and respond during the birthing process.

This lack of evidence has serious consequences. Without data on how positions, maneuvers, or techniques affect the birthing body, maternity care relies largely on tradition, anecdotal evidence, and outdated assumptions. Even widely used techniques like squatting or the McRoberts' maneuver have never been biomechanically validated during active labor.

Moreover, the existing research has largely excluded data on ethnicity, despite the fact that anatomical features and movement patterns can vary across populations. This lack of inclusive data could be contributing to the persistent racial disparities in maternal outcomes, where Black and Asian women in the UK are nearly three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women.

The consequences of this blind spot are not just academic. They're about safety, dignity, and fairness. Maternal and neonatal outcomes are getting worse, and behind these statistics are real families and real tragedies, many of which may have been preventable.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.