The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has responded to MBRRACE-UK’s latest report, which explores the care of recent migrant women with language barriers who have experienced a stillbirth or neonatal death.
The MBRRACE-UK researchers reviewed the care of 25 women and babies, where the women had arrived in the UK less than two years prior to giving birth and had a preferred language other than English. Only 1 of the 25 mother-baby pairs were found to have received care that could be graded ‘good’, and in 68 per cent of cases care improvements were identified that may have affected the outcome.
The enquiry report also identifies a lack of support for the women in accessing interpretation services during their pregnancy journey, and that many of the women whose care was reviewed were not offered care and support that met their needs following the death of their baby.
Key findings included:
- While all but one woman had a documented need for an interpreter, only 27 per cent of contacts with healthcare services took place with a documented professional interpreter, and half happened without any documented interpreter.
- Gaps in antenatal care are also identified, with less than a quarter (24 per cent) of the women who booked their pregnancy receiving care in line with national guidance, and just over half (52 per cent) being given the opportunity to discuss their mental health ahead of giving birth.
- Only 59 per cent received documented bereavement care in the community.
- Variation in the recording of important data including social risk factors also meant that opportunities were missed to make follow-up appointments and referrals for some women, again denying them optimal care at some stages of pregnancy.
The report recommends improved collection of information on women’s language support requirements to support quality improvement, improved support for women to navigate services, and further research to explore how women with language needs can be best supported throughout their maternity journey. In line with RCOG’s position, it also calls for enhancement in interpreting services nationwide, to reduce inequalities and help every woman to access clear information and personalised care throughout their maternity journey.
Dr Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
“These findings reinforce that the NHS urgently needs to improve the support migrant women receive, including the availability and quality of interpreter services, better data collection, and by both exploring and reducing the barriers in accessing and navigating maternity care.
“The women included in this report had only recently arrived in the UK and then experienced the trauma of losing their baby, and it is simply unacceptable that many opportunities were missed to optimise and tailor care to meet their needs, from the point of booking through to crucial bereavement care.
“Everyone accessing maternity services in this country deserves to receive high quality, personalised and compassionate care, whatever their ethnicity, health profile, socioeconomic background or location.”
- Read the full report: Perinatal confidential enquiry | MBRRACE-UK
- Read the college’s policy position on racial and ethnic equality in women’s health
- Read the college’s policy position on equitable access to maternity care for refugee, asylum seeking and undocumented migrant women