The FIVE X MORE black maternity experiences report: Continuing the conversation on black maternal care in the UK (21 July 2025)

Summary

Black women in the UK continue to face disproportionately high risks during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. Despite a growing body of research and increasing policy attention, the gap in outcomes between Black and White women shows little sign of closing. In 2022, FIVE X MORE launched the first national survey of its kind, placing Black women’s voices at the centre of the conversation on maternity care. That report revealed a pattern of systemic racism, poor communication and harmful assumptions – experiences that were not merely distressing, but also resulted in long-term harm for some Black women. Since then, we have seen political promises, institutional reviews and bold statements of intent. But have they led to meaningful change? This latest survey sets out to provide evidence and insight into what has improved, what has not, and where action is still needed.

Content

The Black Maternal Experiences Survey gathered responses from 1164 Black and Black mixed-heritage women across the UK who had been pregnant between July 2021 and March 2025, of which 845 were retained for analysis. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions, it explored experiences across antenatal care, labour and delivery, and the postnatal period.

Key findings:

• 60% of Black women rated their antenatal care as good or high quality.
• 54% 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.

Related reading on the hub:

• Five X More campaign: Improving maternal mortality rates and health outcomes for black women