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Black and Asian women are at a much higher risk of stillbirth and miscarriage than white women in the UK, with baby loss charities calling for urgent action to tackle the inequality. Figures show that miscarriage rates among black women are over 40% higher than for white women, while stillbirth rates for black and Asian babies have been “exceptionally high” compared to white babies. The issue is highlighted during Baby Loss Week, running until Tuesday, with three women who have experienced baby loss sharing their stories.
Rachel Burrell, a British-Jamaican mother, lost her first daughter, Rhema, who was stillborn. Burrell said that throughout her second pregnancy, doctors in the National Health Service (NHS) dismissed her concerns. She believes black and minority ethnic patients need to be represented in support groups and that something is going wrong with care pathways when there are stories of care negligence. She said support groups run by charities have helped her, despite feeling like the only black woman in the room.
Project manager Seyi, who lost her daughter Iyanu in 2021 after a placenta abruption, believed that her Nigerian culture stigmatised her loss and affected the way her family dealt with it. Seyi said to this day she hasn’t spoken to her mum about the loss because of this stigma. She found strength and support through baby loss groups run by charities but said when grieving, women want to be vulnerable, not strong, adding that women need to know that it is OK to cry.
Gina and Peter Reeves welcomed their son, Danté, in 2022 but, tragically, he was lost at 25 weeks. As a black couple, they felt unsupported in the hospital and felt very let down. They didn’t feel heard by healthcare professionals during the pregnancy and weren’t treated well in labour. Mrs Reeves believes that black women are programmed in their minds to just carry on and not talk about their losses, which is why there is a lack of discussion on the topic.
An NHS spokesperson said: “It is vital that NHS maternity services … provide tailored care, particularly when they need it most. While the NHS has made improvements to maternity services over the last decade, we know this isn’t good enough – much more work is needed to tackle inequalities and ensure that all women and families receive high-quality care before, during, and after their pregnancy.
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