Today, MBRRACE-UK published its latest report, Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care 2026.
The report examines the deaths of women during pregnancy and up to one year after pregnancy across the UK and Ireland between 2022 and 2024. It highlights key findings, offers advice and reassurance for women and birthing people before, during and after pregnancy, and sets out recommendations for healthcare providers and systems.
As always, our thoughts are with the families, babies and children whose lives have been affected by the death of a mother or parent.
Key Findings
The report’s headline finding is that maternal deaths have increased by 20% since the previous reporting period. While this rise is deeply concerning, it is important to note that maternal death remains rare in the UK and that most women experience safe pregnancies and births.
Leading Causes of Maternal Death
The report found that:
- Blood clots remain the leading cause of maternal mortality.
- Heart disease is the second most common cause.
- Psychiatric causes, including suicide and substance use, continue to be a significant contributor to maternal deaths.
- Suicide remains the leading cause of death between six weeks and one year after birth. Overall, mental health conditions are linked to approximately one-third of maternal deaths after birth.
- Epilepsy, stroke, infections and other physical health conditions remain significant contributors to maternal deaths.
Inequalities remain stark. Black women are 2.7 times more likely to die during pregnancy or in the year after birth than White women, while women living in the most deprived areas are almost twice as likely to die as those living in the least deprived areas.
The report also highlights that maternal deaths are often linked to a combination of factors rather than a single cause.
These factors include:
- Ethnicity
- Financial circumstances and poverty
- Social challenges such as deprivation, domestic abuse or substance misuse
- Existing physical or mental health conditions
However, it is important to note that maternal death remains rare, even among women who have one or more of these risk factors.
Key Recommendations
For Women and Birthing People
MBRRACE-UK encourages women and birthing people to:
- Speak to a healthcare professional before becoming pregnant where possible.
- Check the safety of any medications they are taking.
- Communicate openly with their care team throughout pregnancy.
- Seek support if they do not feel safe or if they have concerns about their wellbeing.
- Understand their rights and seek support from organisations and resources that can help.
For Healthcare services
MBRRACE-UK identified two overarching themes for improving maternity care.
- Readiness, or Planning Ahead for Changing Needs
- Anticipate needs and act early, rather than waiting for problems to arise.
- Take the time to understand each person’s individual circumstances and needs.
- Prepare for the growing complexity of maternity care needs.
- Ensure staff receive appropriate training, including education on anti-racism and reducing discrimination.
- Response, or Acting Early to Avoid Delays
- Use early warning tools effectively to identify women who may be becoming unwell.
- Recognise deterioration promptly and act without delay.
- Keep safeguarding at the centre of maternity care.
- Improve access to contraception, antibiotics and other essential medications when required.
Underlying all of these recommendations is the importance of listening to women, providing personalised care, maintaining clear communication, and ensuring different services work together effectively.
Baby Lifeline’s Work
At Baby Lifeline, we work directly with healthcare professionals in areas where disparities in outcomes are evident, helping to improve the safety and quality of maternity care. Our training programmes focus on the leading causes of harm and death in maternity services and have contributed to improvements in NHS maternity services nationwide.
We have recently expanded our Cultural Curiosity and Safety Workshop through a Train-the-Trainers programme. We also deliver courses that support professionals in overcoming language barriers and providing inclusive care for migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women.
In addition, we offer specialist maternal medicine training, including our Enhanced Maternal Care and Improving Outcomes for Those with Comorbidities in Pregnancy courses.
Judy Ledger, CEO & Founder of Baby Lifeline says:
“A 20% increase in maternal deaths is a stark reminder that we cannot be complacent about improving care for mothers during their pregnancy journeys. While maternal death remains rare, every loss represents a profound tragedy for the babies, families and communities left behind.
The report reinforces what we see across maternity services: women often face multiple, overlapping challenges that can affect their health and pregnancy outcomes. Improving safety requires services to recognise those complexities early, listen to women and respond with personalised, equitable care.
At Baby Lifeline, we are committed to supporting maternity teams with the skills, confidence and training they need to identify risk, act promptly and deliver safe, compassionate care for every woman and birthing person.”
Read the full report and its important recommendations here.