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Mothers' Emergency Care Needs Soar Post-Birth
15 Jul
Summary
- 22% of new mothers require emergency care within a year of delivery.
- Black and young mothers are disproportionately affected by these needs.
- Stomach pain, chest pain, and bleeding are common reasons for A&E visits.
A recent Nuffield Trust report indicates that over one in five mothers in England require emergency medical attention within the year following childbirth. The analysis, covering 1.6 million deliveries between April 2021 and March 2024, found that 22% of new mothers accessed urgent care, with 6% needing hospital admission.
Mothers are particularly vulnerable in the initial postpartum weeks and months. Health disparities continue into motherhood, with Black and younger mothers facing disproportionately higher rates of emergency care. Common reasons for A&E visits include stomach pain, chest pain, and vaginal bleeding.
The report stresses that emergency care needs could potentially be avoided with improved community and preventive care. It also highlights a significant data gap, as the reason for visit was unrecorded in nearly one in five cases of postpartum A&E attendance.
Urgent contacts were most frequent in the days after delivery, with a notable spike occurring five days postpartum. Almost a quarter of emergency contacts happened within the first six weeks. The findings emphasize the critical need for targeted support and better understanding of maternal health needs.
