More work needed to tackle 'shocking' racial pregnancy outcomes - report

The study found black and Asian women felt like they were not always listened to by medical professionals

More research needs to be carried out into the pre-pregnancy health of black and Asian women to prevent higher death rates during labour, a report has concluded.

Studies have found black women are four times more likely do die in pregnancy and giving birth.

The Create Health Foundation said it was a "shocking statistic" and racial disparities needed to be addressed.

The government said it had plans to make maternity care more personalised.

The foundation asked 300 women who have been, or tried to become, pregnant within the past 10 years what their healthcare experiences were.

It found three-quarters of Asian women and just over half of black women felt more knowledge of pre-pregnancy services would have helped them have a better pregnancy. Only 45% of white women felt that to be the case.

Black and Asian women in the study also reported feeling like they were not being listened to by medical professionals and having their concerns dismissed, the foundation added.

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One woman who feels this is Jenny Okona-Mensah, from north London, who said she did not "feel seen or heard" by medical professionals.

Speaking to BBC London, she said her difficulties began when she suffered "hellishly" painful periods. Eventually she ended up being admitted to hospital every month for pain management.

She said the pain also forced her to drop out of the prestigious BRIT school, ending her dream of being an actor.

"I did go to my GP but I was pretty much told 'periods are painful' and to put up with it. But it just had such a huge impact on my life that it was hard to just put up with it," she said.

"I had to become my own researcher and detective to find out what was causing all of this."

Jenny Okona-Mensah has suffered various health conditions for many years

She has since been diagnosed with conditions including endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and fibroids.

'Let down'

Ms Okona-Mensah said she found out she was pregnant while she was in hospital being treated for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a condition she had not been told she was at a higher risk of developing because she already had PCOS.

She said she was on the cusp of being admitted to intensive care when she was told about her pregnancy.

"I would love to be able to tell you that my pregnancy was a joyful one but it wasn't, it was, again, a very traumatic experience," she said.

During her pregnancy, she was admitted to hospital 10 times before suffering a miscarriage at 20 weeks.

"I remember feeling just really confused and annoyed, because my baby didn't need to die," she said.

Afterwards, she said she was handed a leaflet about various organisations that could offer support.

"I feel that being handed a leaflet isn't the level of care that I needed, or any woman should have," she said.

"Throughout my health journey, I was not being taken seriously. I know my body, I've lived this experience, so why isn't my voice being heard?"

'High standard for everyone'

Prof Geeta Nargund, from the Create Health Foundation, said: "I think Jenny's experience is quite typical and that has come out quite strongly in our survey and research and which is why I believe it's quite important that they are addressed prior to pregnancy."

The report makes a number of recommendations, including educating medical staff on culturally unbiased care, improving data collection on pregnancy care to track performance and standardising terminology in pre-pregnancy services.

While acknowledging the study had a small sample size, Ms Nargund said the report should be used as a "starting point" for further research and that tailored advice needed to be given to different racial groups, for example more information should be given to black women about sickle-cell disease and to Asian women about gestational diabetes.

The Department of Health and Social Care said: "We are absolutely clear that maternity care must be of the same high standard for everyone."

A spokesperson added it was investing £6.8m as part of a plan for local maternity and neonatal systems to publish equality action plans.

In March, NHS England published its three-year plan for maternity and neonatal services, setting out the aim to make maternity and neonatal care "safer, more personalised and equitable for women, babies and families".

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