MPs condemn ‘appalling’ stats showing Black women almost four times more likely to die in childbirth

‘We are also afraid the government and NHS have not fully grasped that racism has played a key part in the complex reasons underlying the disparities,’ Caroline Nokes says

MPs have condemned the government for failing to tackle maternal health disparities as data shows Black women and women living in the most impoverished areas are more likely to die from childbirth.

A new report by the Women and Equalities Committee raised concerns NHS leaders and the government have “underestimated” how much racism drives inequalities as they urged ministers to establish a clear target to put an end to “appalling” inequalities in maternal deaths.

Black women are almost four times more likely to die from childbirth than white women, research published by MBRRACE-UK last November found.