By Laura Seebohm, CEO of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA)

Many of us steel ourselves each year to read the MBRRACE’s Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in the UK and Ireland. The findings launched today are tragic; I think we probably all knew that they would be. The report covers the period 2018 – 2020, during which time we experienced our first lockdown and a light was shone on mental health and deep-seated deprivation and inequality in this country.

Before reflecting on today’s report, I want to explicitly acknowledge the importance of these enquiries. The methodology used is honourable, underpinned by a philosophy ‘to recognise and respect every maternal death as a young woman who died before her time, a mother, a member of a family and of her community’ (Gwyneth Lewis OBE, former Chair). Going well beyond the statistics, these reports tell stories. They are fundamental to how we learn lessons and save lives in the future.

Continue reading Reflections on the latest findings from MBRRACE (2018-20) →

Today, MBRRACE-UK published their latest Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in the UK and Ireland.

The Saving Lives Improving Mothers’ Care 2022 report investigates the deaths of women during or up to one year after pregnancy between 2018 and 2020. MBRRACE examines the reasons why each of the women died, what can be learnt from these tragic deaths and urgent recommendations to improve care and save lives.

Sounding the alarm

Worryingly, this year’s report shows that the number of maternal deaths caused by mental health problems is increasing. It also finds that many of the women who died faced multiple disadvantages, including mental health problems, domestic abuse and addiction. Continue reading MBRRACE: 40% of maternal deaths in first postnatal year due to mental ill-health →