Pregnant women to receive new checks as UK maternal deaths rise to highest level in two decades

Solen Le Net
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:06:24 +0000

The NHS has unveiled sweeping new clinical standards for maternity care after deaths among pregnant women and new mothers climbed to their highest point in two decades.

According to the latest available figures, 257 women lost their lives during pregnancy, childbirth or in the six weeks following delivery across the two years ending in 2023.

Nearly half of these fatalities could have been avoided, the data reveals.

Blood clots emerged as the primary cause of death, with cardiac problems, suicide, stroke, sepsis and severe haemorrhaging also claiming lives.

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Hospitals that fail to implement the new national measures by March 2027 will face intervention.

The new standards, created in partnership with Royal Colleges, mandate that expectant mothers receive blood clot risk evaluations at the earliest possible stage, even before their initial midwife consultation.

Those deemed high-risk due to conditions such as severe morning sickness will be prescribed blood-thinning medication to guard against potentially fatal clots.

Mental health assessments will now form a routine part of midwife appointments both during pregnancy and in the postnatal period.

Women suffering from pre-existing medical conditions will be directed to newly established maternal medicine centres of excellence for specialist oversight.

One in five pregnant women experiences a medical complication, yet many cases go undetected until dangerously late.

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Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for England, addressed the crisis directly: "Every death during or after pregnancy is a tragedy, especially when differences in care may have changed the outcome. We still see symptoms of serious medical problems being missed, especially for Black and Asian women."

She added: "By setting out these clinical standards and holding hospitals to account, we can significantly reduce avoidable deaths and prevent future tragedies."

The statistics reveal a significant racial disparity in maternal mortality rates, with black women facing three times the risk of death compared to their white counterparts.

The NHS has acknowledged that serious medical conditions are more frequently overlooked among ethnic minority patients.

Women who suffer haemorrhaging or substantial blood loss following delivery will now receive attention from senior obstetricians and anaesthetists more rapidly under revised protocols.

The guidelines establish lower thresholds for blood loss that trigger escalation to specialist medical staff.

Obstetric haemorrhage ranks as the eighth leading cause of maternal death and results in hundreds of emergency hysterectomies and intensive care admissions annually.

Suicide prevention has also become a priority, given that psychiatric causes account for a third of deaths in the year following pregnancy.

Every NHS trust must report progress to its board, with underperforming hospitals referred to national leadership for corrective action.