Reports from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University indicate that the overall rate of maternal death in the UK was 20% higher in 2022-2024 compared to 2009-2011. This finding is part of a broader discussion on the state of NHS maternity care, intensified by the recent publication of two reports led by Valerie Amos and Donna Ockenden.
Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has stated her commitment to introducing a new national maternity commissioner. She also chairs a national maternity and neonatal taskforce, which is challenged to implement the recommendations from the Amos and Ockenden inquiries.
The Amos inquiry found that only 22% of midwives reported having sufficient time for their jobs. It also highlighted persistent inequalities, overt racism, and ongoing reports of physical and psychological trauma within maternity services. The inquiry concluded that radical whole-system change is necessary.
Data shows a rise in obstetric interventions, with labour induction increasing from approximately 20% before 2010 to over 34% by 2020, before a slight reduction. Caesarean section rates also rose from 27% of births in 2016 to 45% in 2025, representing about 100,000 additional caesarean births annually compared to a decade ago.