Black women are still four-times more likely to die in childbirth – so campaigners are demanding action

The Motherhood Group is hosting this year’s Black Maternal Mental Health Week UK, running from 22–28 September 2025. The grassroots organisation is bringing together campaigners, health professionals, and mothers to confront one of the country’s starkest health inequalities.

The theme is “Make Black Mothers Visible.” It calls for Black women to be counted, heard, and properly supported in maternity care.

Founder Sandra Igwe told attendees:

 “During my labour, I was labelled ‘aggressive’ simply for being in pain. I felt completely dismissed — like my suffering didn’t matter. We cannot allow Black mothers’ voices to be ignored any longer. The data has been there for years, yet action has been painfully slow.”

A deadly disparity highlighted by Black Maternal Mental Health Week

According to the latest MBRRACE-UK report, Black women in Britain remain four times more likely to die during pregnancy or within six weeks of giving birth compared to white women. Meanwhile, Asian women are almost twice as likely.

Mental health outcomes are also stark. Research by Healthwatch Barnet found that Black mothers are more than twice as likely to be hospitalised with perinatal mental illness. They make up 12% of admissions despite only accounting for 5% of births.

Moreover, campaigners say this reflects a toxic mix of institutional racism, underfunded maternity services, and the routine dismissal of Black women’s pain and concerns.

Activism meets advocacy during Black Maternal Mental Health Week

Black Maternal Mental Health Week combines grassroots action with national advocacy.

The launch event took place in London on 22 September, setting the tone for the theme “Make Black Mothers Visible.” In addition, a Mental Health & Digital Support session will explore how online platforms can provide culturally appropriate help for mothers.

Across the UK, community organisations are also hosting storytelling workshops, policy discussions, and peer-support sessions, both in person and online. As a result, the campaign ensures that the issue resonates locally as well as nationally.

Furthermore, campaigners will take the issue to Westminster, ensuring MPs hear the evidence and testimonies first-hand.

Together, these events highlight not only the urgent need for reform but also the resilience and solidarity of Black mothers.

A call for action

Speakers across the week are urging ministers to stop delaying the recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Black Maternal Health. They argue that without ring-fenced funding, accountability, and systemic reform, the figures will not change.

Dr Nandi Simpson, from the NHS Race and Health Observatory, said:

 “The findings continue to highlight the stark disparity in experience and outcomes for Black women, who are almost three times more likely than white women to lose their lives during pregnancy or the postnatal period.”

Preventable deaths

For campaigners, the message is simple: these maternal deaths and traumas are not inevitable — they are preventable. Therefore, until the government and NHS act decisively to address structural racism in healthcare, Black women in the UK will continue to face avoidable risks when bringing life into the world.

Featured image via the Canary