Maternal deaths in the UK have reached their highest level in 20 years, prompting renewed concern about the safety during pregnancy and postnatal period.

New data from the MBRRACE-UK programme shows that between 2021 and 2023 approx. 257 women died during pregnancy or shortly afterwards. Reviews suggest that nearly half of those deaths could have been prevented.

In response, NHS England has announced stricter maternity safety standards, including earlier risk assessments and more consistent mental health checks. But an important question remains: how will these changes impact pregnant women and families – and will they go far enough to protect them from avoidable harm?

Maternal deaths explained: what the latest data means for patient safety in the UK

Maternal deaths are defined as those occurring during pregnancy or within six weeks of the end of pregnancy. Current figures show a rate of around 12.8 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies – a significant increase over the past decade.

Behind these figures are often complex and overlapping causes, including:

• Blood clots (now the leading direct cause of death)
• Heart disease and stroke
• Sepsis and severe infection
• Heavy bleeding after birth (postpartum haemorrhage)
• Mental health conditions, including suicide

For many families, these are not unavoidable tragedies. Repeated national inquiries have identified missed warning signs, delays in treatment and failures to escalate care as recurring factors.

This raises difficult but necessary questions about what is being done to prevent these avoidable issues.

What are the new NHS maternity safety checks?

NHS England’s updated standards are designed to improve early detection of risk and reduce preventable harm.

Key changes include:

• Earlier risk assessments
  Women will be assessed for risks such as blood clots at the earliest possible stage of pregnancy – in some cases before their first midwife appointment.
• Routine mental health screening
  Mental health questions will become a standard part of antenatal and postnatal care, reflecting the growing number of deaths linked to psychiatric causes.
• Specialist care for complex conditions
  Women with pre-existing conditions, such as heart disease, epilepsy or diabetes, should be referred to specialist maternal medicine centres for coordinated care.
• Faster emergency escalation
  New protocols aim to ensure quicker senior intervention in emergencies such as severe bleeding, sepsis or stroke.

These changes are expected to be fully implemented across England by March 2027.

How do these changes affect pregnant women and families?

For most women, these changes will be actioned through more detailed and structured conversations during routine appointments, rather than entirely new services.

In principle, earlier checks and clearer escalation pathways should help identify complications sooner. However, their effectiveness will depend on consistent implementation across NHS trusts and whether frontline services have the resources to deliver them.

There are also ongoing concerns about inequality in maternity care. Data continues to show that:

• Black women are around three times more likely to die during or after pregnancy than white women
• Women in deprived areas face significantly higher risks

Addressing these disparities requires more than clinical protocols alone. It demands system-wide cultural and structural change.

The legal perspective: when do failures in maternity care become medical negligence?

From a medical negligence perspective, many of the issues highlighted in these reports are sadly not new.

Cases often involve:

• Failure to recognise or act on symptoms
• Delays in diagnosis or treatment
• Poor communication between healthcare professionals
• Inadequate monitoring of high-risk pregnancies

Where these failures lead to harm, including the loss of a mother or serious injury, families may be entitled to pursue a claim.

While no legal action can undo what has happened, it can provide:

• Financial security for families
• Access to specialist support and rehabilitation
• Accountability and answers about what went wrong

You can find more information about your options on our medical negligence solicitors page and our dedicated birth injury claims section.

Will the new standards be enough?

The introduction of stricter maternity safety standards is a positive step for expectant families.

More than 700 recommendations have already emerged from previous maternity safety investigations. Many centred on the same themes: earlier recognition, better communication and faster escalation.

The real challenge is to  ensure that changes are consistently delivered in practice.

Supporting families affected by maternity care failings

For families affected by avoidable harm during pregnancy or childbirth, the impact can be life-changing.

At Switalskis, our specialist birth injury solicitors support individuals and families to understand what happened, access the support they need, and seek answers where care has fallen short.

If you are concerned about the care you or a loved one received during pregnancy or after birth, you are not alone – and there are steps you can take.

How Switalskis medical negligence experts can support you

For compassionate advice from our experienced medical negligence team , contact us today. Call 0808 258 5809 or email help@switalskis.com .