Launch of the Black Maternity Experiences Report 2025

Cheryl and I were honoured to join Mamas Embrace at the launch of the Black Maternity Experiences Report 2025 this week.

Five X More have launched the largest ever report into Black women’s maternity care. They have received responses from 1,100 Black women about their pregnancy, birth and postnatal experiences.

The report continues to highlight the need for urgent reform in our maternity care, especially for Black women.

The sentiment behind the report is clear- fix it for Black women, fix it for all women.

Five X More

Five X More was founded by Clo and Tinuke. The campaign was started due to Tinuke’s experience of giving birth to her son in 2017 and Clo’s work with Prosperitys and a Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership.

The name of the organisation originated from the MBRRACE study in 2019 that found Black women were five times more likely to die during childbirth. Since this report, Black women are still 3.7 times more likely to die than white women in childbirth.

What does the latest report say?

The report highlights the significant inequalities that exist within the UK maternity services, particularly for Black women.

The report raises the following key findings:

• 60% of Black women rated their antenatal care as good or high quality.
• 54% of Black women experienced challenges with healthcare professionals.
• 28% of Black women reported discrimination and, of these, 25% said that this was due to issues around race.
• 45% raised concerns during labour or birth; of these, 49% felt their concerns were not properly addressed.
• 23% of Black women did not receive the pain relief they requested, and 40% of these women were given no explanation.
• Only 39% received advice on nutrition, and just 27% were spoken to about exercise at their booking appointment.
• Just 1 in 5 women (20%) had been informed on how to make a complaint, and only 8% pursued a formal process.

Whilst the survey shows some positive change, what is clear from the report is that in many cases, women’s care ratings are disconnected from their reality. A number of women rated their care as “good” but went on to describe negative experiences of their maternity care, suggesting a worrying normalisation of substandard treatment.

We have seen a lot of maternity reports like this before, but this one is different in that it is a clear call to action, it builds on years of evidence, lived experience and advocacy to demand real and measurable change.

Some of the quotes from lived experiences were quite harrowing- one mother reported the health visitor told her that in Africa they let their women die so she was lucky to have the care she had.

Some of the others expressed frustrations around clinicians being dismissive of any questions, being blunt with short answers and mothers being made to feel like a burden or a nuisance.

The report also includes recommendations which can be found below along with the suggested actions:

1. Improve access to complaints and support mechanisms in maternity care: Increase the awareness of, and engagement with, an improved Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
2. Support earlier diagnosis, safer care and better outcomes across the maternity pathway: Strengthen clinical knowledge, resources and training on conditions that disproportionately affect Black women.
3. Support informed consent and access to pain management: Introduce a Mandatory Pain Relief Explanation Policy in all NHS maternity settings.
4. Improve transparency, trust and access to support: Install maternity rights posters in all NHS maternity settings.
5. Champion informed care before, during and after pregnancy: Develop a national digital health information pack for Black women.
6. Drive safe, joined up and personalised care: Advance existing digital maternity record systems.

What’s next?

We welcome the news that part two of the survey’s findings will be released later this year, this time focussing on Black Maternal Mental Health and we look forward to reading the brave testimonies of those who have shared their experience to help impact change for all.

How can I help?

It is clear urgent change is needed to address inequality in maternity care. You can help by raising this report with your local MP. We have created a short template below if you are unsure how to get started.

You can find your local MP by typing your postcode into this website.

Dear X

I am writing as your constituent living at [insert address], who is concerned about the inequality in our maternity services.

I am writing to you to highlight the recent report from Five X More, which is the largest ever report into Black women’s maternity care. You can read the report in full here.

I am asking that you please:

1. Write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to highlight this report with them and ask what steps the Government will take to address the concerns raised in the report.
2. Write to our local NHS trust to highlight the report and see what actions they are taking to address any inequalities locally in maternity care.

I look forward to receiving a response.

Best wishes,

[insert name]