New official data reveals a deeply concerning surge in maternal deaths in the UK, reversing years of policy aspirations and jeopardising progress towards international targets for safe childbirth. Maternal mortality—defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within six weeks of its end, has climbed sharply, alarming clinicians, advocates, and public health experts.
Between 2022 and 2024, the UK recorded 252 maternal deaths, equating to a rate of 12.8 deaths per 100,000 maternities. This figure marks a 20% increase compared with the 2009–2011 baseline, making it highly likely that the government will miss its pledge to halve maternal mortality by 2025.
Campaigners and health organisations have branded the statistics as "profoundly shocking," emphasising that this rise coincides with persistent disparities. The mortality rate is significantly higher for women from Black ethnic backgrounds than for White women, and women in the most deprived areas face nearly double the risk of death compared to those in wealthier communities. While maternal deaths remain comparatively rare in high-income nations, each instance signals a failure of the health system to prevent a largely avoidable tragedy. Recent UK data identifies the leading causes as blood clots (thrombosis), heart disease, complications from COVID-19, and mental health-related issues, reflecting a complex interplay of clinical, biological, and social factors.
The increase underscores long-standing inequalities in maternal health, where higher mortality rates persist among women from Black and Asian ethnic groups and those living in deprived areas. This points to broader social determinants of health intersecting with the quality of maternity care. Experts are further concerned that coroners’ recommendations to prevent future maternal deaths are not consistently implemented, meaning systemic weaknesses often go unaddressed. A 2025 analysis noted multiple coroner reports highlighting preventable failures in maternity care, yet follow-through on their advice remains patchy. This stalled progress contrasts with improvements in other areas of maternal and newborn health; for instance, stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates in England have decreased over the last decade, demonstrating the impact of consistent, targeted interventions.
Despite this, critics argue that policy action has been too slow and that investment in maternal services, including staffing levels, continuity of care, risk assessment, and postnatal support, must be expedited. Clinicians and advocacy groups stress that improving outcomes requires both clinical interventions and wider social policy to tackle underlying issues like poverty, discrimination, and access to care.
The impact of maternal death is far-reaching, inflicting profound emotional trauma on families and communities, with lasting effects on partners and children. Maternal health advocates maintain that every death is preventable with timely, high-quality care, demanding an urgent, renewed national focus. Globally, the UK's situation reflects wider trends: while maternal deaths have fallen worldwide over the past four decades, progress has slowed or plateaued across many high- and middle-income countries. Global health agencies warn that without sustained, equity-focused strategies, reductions in maternal mortality could stall further.
The 2026 data serves as a stark reminder that health system performance is inextricably linked to equity, quality of care, and social determinants. The rise in deaths is a signal of clinical challenges and highlights an urgent need to revitalise policy, improve maternity services, and ensure that no woman's life is lost to preventable pregnancy-related complications.
