Assessing The Status of Maternal Deaths in the UK
A new report has been published by MBRRACE-UK, Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK.
The report addresses causes of the deaths of women during or up to six weeks after pregnancy as well as up to a year after pregnancy. It considers key issues around inequalities, mental health, cancer care, older mothers and blood clots.
Statistics quoted represent the safety of pregnancy and childbirth in the UK. According to the report, 191 women died during or up to six months after pregnancy, and 495 women died during or up to one year after pregnancy.
The most significant causes of maternal deaths were identified as heart disease, epilepsy, stroke, sepsis, thrombosis, cancer and suicide.
Inequality
Inequalities of outcome for pregnant women were identified as relating to affluence as opposed to poverty and the differing outcomes for black, Asian and mixed ethnicity women as opposed to white women. The mortality rate for black women during pregnancy was quoted as being approximately four times that of white women.
Older women
Whilst noting that the risk of death during pregnancy increases in older women over the age of 45, the report also observed that the age of first birth is nonetheless increasing. It stressed the importance of good health and good healthcare for older women who are planning to get pregnant.
Mental health
The report noted the need for awareness and risk management in the care of pregnant and post-natal women who are suffering from mental health difficulties which is a major cause of post-natal maternal death.
Cancer in pregnancy
The importance of continued care for women who develop cancer whilst pregnant was emphasised.
The key message of the report was to 'treat women who may become pregnant, are pregnant, or who have recently been pregnant the same as a non-pregnant person unless there is a very clear reason not to'.
The report notes the risks of overweight women developing blood clots during pregnancy, and the need for awareness and treatment.
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