Only a third of Black mothers say mental health support was good, survey finds in new report

Black women are being let down by poor mental health support before, during and after pregnancy, a new report suggests.

Only a third of Black mothers said their maternity mental health support was good, Five X More said in its new report Understanding Black Maternal Mental Health in the UK.

Bolt Burdon Kemp heard the findings during the report’s launch at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Black Maternal Health this week – coinciding with Black Maternal Mental Health Week 2026.

New findings on Black maternal mental health

Five X More campaigns to address disparities in maternal health outcomes for Black women and runs the day-to-day administration of the APPG.

Its new research explores the mental health experiences of women who took part in its Black Maternity Experiences Survey, including the support they received before, during and after pregnancy.

The findings highlight significant gaps between the number of women experiencing mental health difficulties and the support available to them. Almost two-thirds (62%) of respondents reported experiencing a mental health problem before, during or after pregnancy. Mental health difficulties were more common after birth, with 71% reporting difficulties during the postnatal period, compared with 66% during pregnancy.

Despite this, 61% said they had not been referred or signposted to mental health support, while 88% had never seen a mental health midwife. More than half (53%) said they had never been asked about suicidal thoughts during their maternity care and 56% had not been told how to access emergency mental health services. Just 34% described their overall experience of mental health support as good.

The research also demonstrates the difference that good care can make. Women valued healthcare professionals asking about their mental health, listening to their concerns and proactively offering support.

Wider inequalities remain

The findings come against a backdrop of continuing inequalities in maternal health outcomes.

The latest MBRRACE-UK maternal mortality data found that, in 2022–24, the risk of maternal death was nearly three times higher for Black women in England than White women.

Mental health also remains an important part of the wider picture. The MBRRACE-UK findings show that suicide remained the leading cause of maternal death between six weeks and one year after the end of pregnancy, while psychiatric causes accounted for 33% of maternal deaths during this period.

There has also been a concerning lack of progress on maternal mortality more broadly. In 2017, the Government brought forward from 2030 to 2025 its target to halve rates of maternal deaths, stillbirths, neonatal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth. However, the latest MBRRACE-UK figures show the UK maternal mortality rate increased by 20% between 2009–11 and 2022–24.

The launch of Understanding Black Maternal Mental Health in the UK is an important reminder that improving maternity safety must include mental health and address the inequalities experienced by Black women throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

We were pleased to attend the APPG meeting and hear about Five X More’s latest research and the experiences behind its findings.

To find out more, read Understanding Black Maternal Mental Health in the UK and learn more about Five X More’s work.