A National Cohort Study and Confidential Enquiry to Investigate Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Mortality

Background:  Ethnic disparities in maternal mortality were first documented in the UK in the early 2000s but are known to be widening. This project aimed to describe the women who died in the UK during or up to a year after the end of pregnancy, to compare the quality of care received by women from different aggregated ethnic groups, and to identify any structural or cultural biases or discrimination affecting their care. Methods:  National surveillance data was used to identify all 1894 women who died during or up to a year after the end of pregnancy between 2009-18 in the UK. Their characteristics and causes of death were described. A Confidential Enquiry was undertaken to describe the quality of care women received, and describe any structural or cultural biases or discrimination identified. Findings:  There were no major differences in assessed quality of care, nor in causes of death between women from different aggregated ethnic groups, with cardiovascular disease the leading cause of death in all groups. Multiple areas of bias were identified in the care women received, including lack of nuanced care (notable amongst women from Black aggregated ethnic groups who died), microaggressions (most prominent in the care of women from Asian aggregated ethnic groups who died) and clinical, social and cultural complexity (evident across all ethnic groups). Interpretation:  This confidential enquiry suggests that multiple structural and other biases exist in UK maternity care. Further research on the role of microaggressions is warranted. Funding:  NIHR Policy Research Programme Declaration of Interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE disclosure form and declare: Marian Knight, Sara Kenyon and Jennifer Kurinczuk received grants from the NIHR PRP in relation to the submitted work. Kathryn Bunch, Nicola Vousden, Anita Banerjee, Philippa Cox, Fiona Cross-Sudworth, Mandish K. Dhanjal, Jenny Douglas, Joanna Girling, Rohit Kotnis, Roshni R. Patel, Judy Shakespeare, Derek Tuffnell and Meg Wilkinson have no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years. No authors have other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. Ethics Approval Statement: Identifiable MBRRACE-UK data were collected in England and Wales without consent with approval of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care under Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006 (15/CAG/0119). Data were collected in Scotland without consent with approval from the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care (1920-0131). Identifiable information was not provided from Northern Ireland. The legal basis for this activity is Article 6 (1)(e) and Article 9 (2)(i) under the General Data Protection Regulation.