Risk to women of severe bleeding after giving birth at five-year high in England | Hospitals

In England, the risk of women suffering severe bleeding after childbirth has risen to its highest level in five years, sparking new concerns about NHS maternity care.

The rate of postpartum hemorrhage among English mothers rose from 27 per 1,000 births in 2020 to 32 per 1,000 this year, an increase of 19%.

Last year saw the highest number of incidents of postpartum haemorrhage in the five years since records began – 16,780 – despite the number of births falling in recent years, NHS England figures analyzed by the Liberal Democrats also reveal.

In comparison, 15,780 occurred in 2023 and 15,230 in 2022, the year in which almost all trusts providing maternity services began submitting data on postpartum haemorrhage to NHS England.

The data covers incidents in which a woman lost at least 1.5 liters (2.6 pints) of blood after giving birth. Hemorrhage is a known cause of birth trauma in women.

Many women bleed after giving birth, usually without concern. But the possibility of a mother losing an unusually large amount of blood is a known risk during childbirth. It is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide and is responsible for one in 14 maternal deaths, or 7%, in the UK.

“The growing risk of mothers suffering serious or even fatal haemorrhage after giving birth is terrifying,” said Helen Morgan, the Liberal Democrats’ health spokeswoman.

“We know that significant blood loss contributes to nearly one in ten maternal deaths. [in the UK]. Every birth carries a risk, but the increasing frequency of these incidents will be a real source of fear for women and their families across the country.

“It’s completely heartbreaking to see how many families are experiencing unacceptable hurt and trauma at a time that should be full of excitement and joy.”

The findings are the latest evidence to suggest that the quality and safety of NHS maternity care is declining.

In the initial report of her government-commissioned inquiry into maternity care, inquiry chair Valerie Amos said last week that some mothers were receiving unacceptable care and it had led to “tragic consequences”.

Morgan said: “We are already in a situation where the Care Quality Commission says two thirds of maternity units are not safe enough. Maternity-related deaths are rising. The risk of women suffering a serious tear has increased.

“And now we have this shocking news that there is an increasing risk of postpartum hemorrhage.”

Obstetricians and gynecologists said the increase was the result of childbirth becoming more complicated in recent years. Experts have blamed this on obesity and the increasing number of older women having babies, as both factors significantly increase the risk of complications and the need for medical intervention.

“The reported increase in postpartum haemorrhage is concerning,” said Professor Asma Khalil, consultant obstetrician, maternal-fetal specialist and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

“But this must be understood in the context of increasingly clinically complex births. More and more women are entering pregnancy and giving birth with factors that can increase the risk of heavy bleeding, for example high blood pressure and higher body weight, although most will not hemorrhage.”

The Liberal Democrats are urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting to develop a “maternity rescue plan” to bring all units up to what the CQC judges to be a good standard.

The failure to implement recommendations made in a series of previous maternity inquiries is an insult to families harmed by poor care, they say in a letter signed by 60 party MPs.

Lady Amos said last week it was “staggering” that many of the 750 recommendations made over the past decade had not been put into practice.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care declined to comment directly on the Liberal Democrats’ findings.

They only said this: “As Baroness Amos highlighted this week, too many families have been abandoned by maternity and neonatal services, with devastating consequences.

“That’s why the Secretary of State has ordered a rapid review of maternity services and will chair a new national maternity and neonatal taskforce to tackle deep-rooted problems.”