Childbirth deaths hit highest level in two decades, figures show

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New data has revealed that women are dying in childbirth at the same rate as two decades ago.

The concerning figures come after an analysis from found England’s healthcare regulator that two-thirds of NHS maternity units are deemed ‘not safe enough’.

An independent review into maternity deaths shows that 293 women died during pregnancy and within six weeks of giving birth between 2020 and 2022.

Childbirth deaths

According to experts, this upward trend shows ‘compelling evidence’ that failures span across the ‘entire maternity system’ and not just one or two hospitals. Experts also say the overall NHS pressures as well as other factors including rising obesity levels in the UK also contribute to the ‘alarming’ figures.

The research was carried out by Oxford-led MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries) which found the increase in deaths was across the board. Blood clots, Covid, heart disease and mental health issues were the leading cause of death among new mothers.

But, the data clearly showed inequalities with women in deprived areas twice as likely to die as those in wealthy areas, and black women are three times as likely to die than white women.

Almost 14 in every 100,000 women died during or in the weeks following childbirth in 2022, roughly the same rates as in 2004, the data shows.

NHS maternity units ‘not safe enough’

An analysis from England’s healthcare regulator has shown that maternity units currently have the poorest ratings of any hospital service it inspects.

The records from the Quality Care Commission (CQC) show that two-thirds (67%) of the units are not safe enough. The analysis also revealed the number of maternity units rated ‘inadequate’ has more than doubled since 2022.

According to the CQC, ‘inadequate’ means that the service is performing badly and enforcement action has been taken against the service provider. Meanwhile, when we checked the CQC website, 110 maternity units across the UK have been rated as ‘requiring improvement’ overall.

The CQC, which also inspects core services such as emergency care and critical care, said the situation was “unacceptable” and “disappointing”.

“We’ve seen this deterioration, and action needs to happen now, so that women can have the assurance they need that they’re going to get that high-quality care in any maternity setting across England,” said Kate Terroni, the CQC’s deputy chief executive.

“The regulator has been conducting focused inspections because of concerns about maternity care. These findings are “the poorest they have been” since it started recording the data in this way in 2018, Ms Terroni said.

When we looked at the CQC report for one hospital which was rated as ‘requiring improvement’, the findings stated that “the service did not always control infection risk well or use sufficient control measures to protect women, themselves, and others from infection,’ ‘policies to keep people safe lacked detail and were not clear’ and ‘managers did not always investigate incidents or share lessons learned.”

The Royal College of Midwives suggests staff shortages and lack of funding is making it harder for midwives to deliver better-quality services. It is estimated the NHS is short of 500 midwives.

Injuries to mothers can arise during the pregnancy itself or as a result of childbirth. These injuries can be a natural part of having a baby however, some birth injuries are avoidable and take place during labour or delivery.

If the injury has been caused due to an error at the hospital, or by a medical professional you may be entitled to claim for medical negligence compensation.

Causes of birth and maternity injuries

Injuries to mothers arise during the pregnancy itself or as a result of child birth. These injuries can be a natural part of having a baby however, some birth injuries are avoidable and take place during labour or delivery.

Every mother is entitled to a good standard of antenatal care and your midwife, nurse or Doctor should detect any signs which could lead to a birth injury. Some main causes of maternity injuries include:

Failure to identify the progression of labour
Mismanagement of maternal conditions such as high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia
Decisions about the mode and timing of delivery e.g. should a c-section have been brought forward
Mismanagement of infection e.g. Group B Strep
Surgical errors
Retained Placenta, sometimes resulting in infection.

Who can bring about a claim?

The victim of the negligence can bring about a claim in their own right. However, it may sadly be the case that the victim is no longer able to bring about a claim or has passed. In such circumstances a claim can be brought about the executor of the estate or authorised person.

For further information about whether you are able to bring about a claim, please contact the medical negligence team who will be able to advise further.

How long do I have to make a claim?

Claims of this nature are subject to a three year limitation period. This means that claims have to be commenced within the courts in three years of either the date the negligent act occurred or the date you became aware that negligence had occurred.

In cases involving deceased victims this limitation period commences from the date of death and in cases involving minors, the limitation period starts when they reach their 18th Birthday.

The law surrounding limitation periods is complex, our specialist team will be able to advise further.