UK Maternity Care Crisis: Stillbirths and Deaths Rise

Valerie Amos's comprehensive review of England's maternity and neonatal care has revealed deeply concerning findings. The report confirms that patients have received unacceptable care, resulting in stillbirths, severe injuries, and maternal deaths. This marks a critical moment for improving how expectant mothers and newborns are treated within the NHS.

The UK's maternal mortality rate has seen a worrying increase, standing at approximately 12.8 deaths per 100,000 maternities. This figure is 20% higher than the rate observed between 2009 and 2011. Compared to other European nations, the UK's rate is notably high, with UK mothers facing a three times greater risk of death around pregnancy than those in Norway.

Beyond mortality, the number of women experiencing severe postpartum complications has also risen. Postpartum hemorrhage cases increased by 19%, from 27 to 32 per 1,000 births between 2020 and 2025. Additionally, third- and fourth-degree perineal tears during delivery saw a 16% increase over a year, from 25 to 29 per 1,000 births.

The review was commissioned to examine systemic causes of these failures, following numerous high-profile cases of inadequate care. Investigations at trusts like Shrewsbury and Telford and Nottingham University Hospitals have uncovered hundreds of avoidable baby deaths and injuries due to negligence. The Amos investigation aims to develop national recommendations for widespread improvement.

Factors contributing to these failures include understaffing, with a shortage of 2,500 midwives, and deeper systemic issues like institutional racism. Furthermore, a rise in C-section births, which carry higher risks, and existing ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities, where Black women and those from deprived areas face significantly higher mortality risks, are critical concerns.

Health Secretary James Murray has called the report a "watershed moment," pledging to dismantle "toxic dynamics" and appoint a maternity commissioner to drive transformation. The report indicates that maternity care has not adapted to significant shifts, such as older maternal age and the increased prevalence of C-sections, contributing to the ongoing crisis.