NHS to overhaul maternal care in England to tackle pregnancy deaths
This comes after a concerning rise in the number of women dying during or after pregnancy across the UK
The NHS has announced that all maternity services in England will have to overturn clinical standards to reduce deaths during or after pregnancy.
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This comes following concerns around the increasing number of women reported to be dying during pregnancy, or in the weeks following birth.
There were 252 maternal deaths between 2022 and 2024, marking a 20 per cent increase on the levels between 2009 and 2011, according to official data.
This is the equivalent of 12.8 deaths for every 100,000 women giving birth.
Kate Brintworth, NHS England’s chief midwife, said that although improvements were underway, “none of us think care is in the right place.”
"We don't think that things are good enough," she said.
Ms Brintworth said she hopes that the latest announcement will “significantly” reduce avoidable deaths.
In the latest announcement, the NHS has said that by next March, it will become the first healthcare system in the world to offer all pregnant women an early risk assessment for venous thromboembolism before their first antenatal appointment.
Anyone in the high-risk category will be offered blood thinners to prevent clots within 72 hours of assessment.
The NHS has also announced that it will offer every woman with epilepsy access to a local specialist team for managing their condition during pregnancy, including a tailored plan to help control seizures, and timely access to medications that are safe for use during pregnancy.
Women will also be offered routine mental health assessments and referred to a specialist NHS perinatal mental health service if required.
Anyone who experiences a haemorrhage or significant bleeding after birth will receive care from specialist obstetricians and anaesthetists more promptly.
This comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS had a “appalling culture of medical misogyny” while announcing his measures in a renewed Women’s Health Strategy.
It is hoped that the full rollout of measures in England will reduce deaths caused by blood clots, strokes, cardiac disease, suicide, sepsis, obstetric haemorrhage and pre-eclampsia, which are responsible for 52% of maternal deaths.
It is also hoped that the measures will reduce maternal suicides, which were the leading cause of death between six weeks and one year after pregnancy between 2022 and 2024, responsible for 33% of deaths.