MNSI attends Five X More Black Maternity Experiences Report

Five X More’s Black Maternity Experiences Report 2025 was published on Monday 21 July. The report captures the lived experience of over 1,164 Black women who have been pregnant or have given birth in the UK over the past four years.

Whilst 60% of Black women rated their antenatal care as good or high quality, some themes that have stayed the same following Five X More’s first Black Maternity Experiences Report in 2022. They are:

• Discrimination remains widespread
• Black women are still being ignored
• Poor communication and limited empathy persist
• Basic rights are not being communicated

At MNSI we acknowledge this important report and are privileged to have attended Monday’s launch event, attended by Joanna Francis and Louise Wake, Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Leads. As of 2024, our own data shows us that Black women are almost twice as likely to be involved with an MNSI investigation than their White counterparts. Additionally, Black mothers are three times more likely to be subject to an investigation regarding an instance of maternal death and just over twice as likely in events of intrapartum stillbirths; when a baby dies after labour begins.

This cannot be tolerated and we will continue to use our HEART and HEWS tools in our investigations to ensure all mothers, babies and birthing people receive safe and high quality maternity and newborn care.