Why are black women still more likely to die in childbirth? (20 February 2025)

Summary

The UK has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, but black women are still twice as likely as white women to die from pregnancy related causes. Historically, this disparity has been as high as fivefold, kickstarting initiatives such as Five X More to push for improved maternal outcomes in black women. Despite improvements in recent years, racial inequalities stubbornly persist. In this BMJ feature, Samara Linton explores why—and what’s being done to improve outcomes.

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