Published: 2024-11-26 12:10:00
The University of Southampton is one of the lead universities in a new national initiative to tackle disparities in maternity outcomes through better care and support before and between pregnancies.
The University is part of The NIHR Challenge: Maternity Disparities consortium announced today [26 November] by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
It is a national consortium of universities and partner organisations that will be supported by £50 million over five years. Southampton will lead a collaboration - one of nine across the UK that will come together to address the challenge.
The risk of dying from pregnancy or childbirth in the UK is higher today than it was before 2000.
An important part of this increase arises from a rise in mental and physical health challenges faced by women and their partners before pregnancy. These have a disproportionate impact on women from minority backgrounds and those living in less advantaged areas.
Recent evidence suggests that black women in the UK are almost three times more likely to die during pregnancy or up to six weeks after pregnancy compared to white women. Asian women are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after, compared to white women.
The Southampton-led collaboration will work with consortium partners to develop a ‘whole maternity’ journey for women and their partners, from preconception through post-delivery.
By integrating preconception and interconception health into public health strategies on nutrition, obesity, smoking, and alcohol use, and addressing broader determinants of healthcare access, such as poverty and racism, the collaboration aims to create a more equitable care system that addresses the needs of all women and ensures healthier outcomes for future generations.
Professor Keith Godfrey , Professor of Epidemiology and Human Development at the University of Southampton and theme lead of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre , is leading the Southampton-led collaboration.
Prof Godfrey said: “People who are healthier before they get pregnant have better outcomes for themselves and their babies. It is often too late to fix health problems once a woman is already pregnant.
“This means we need to focus on improving health before pregnancy (preconception) and between pregnancies (interconception).
“I am delighted that Southampton will lead a collaboration in this important NIHR Challenge, and look forward to continuing our impactful work with these partners.”
The University of Southampton is partnering with University College London , NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board , and NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board .
The collaboration brings a wealth of expertise and a combined research portfolio worth £147.6 million from 2019 to 2024, focused on tackling maternity disparities.
Southampton and UCL have a well-established partnership, having previously worked together in supporting the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Maternity Disparities Taskforce in 2023 and co-founding the UK Preconception Partnership in 2018.
The two Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) add further strength to the collaboration, with extensive experience in co-developing and delivering preconception and interconception care in areas with high levels of ethnicity-associated and coastal disparities.
Margaret Beattie, Associate Director of Maternity and Early Years at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight said: “We are excited to be part of this collaboration as it is a great opportunity for us to understand more about the disparities within maternity services and the care that our patients receive. We want to ensure that all pregnant people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have access to the same services and that we can work together in partnership to improve maternal health outcomes across the country.”
The collaboration will be a member of the national consortium coming together to meet the maternity disparities challenge.
Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said: “We are delighted by the level of engagement shown by researchers with this important research priority. I am confident we have an exceptional consortium to tackle the challenge of maternity inequalities; working in partnership with existing NIHR funded infrastructure and programmes. We look forward to working with the consortium and their collaborators across the UK to develop the final plans for their ground-breaking new research projects over the next few months.”
Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said: “Every woman should receive safe, personalised and compassionate maternity care, regardless of background.
“We are determined to tackle the stark and unacceptable inequalities in maternity services and are working with NHS England to urgently improve care. Government-funded research like this is crucial to driving positive change.
“This is part of our mission to build an NHS fit for the future by harnessing the full potential of our research and life sciences sector.”
Professor Joht Singh Chandan, Consortium Co-lead for Research, said "I am honoured to take on the role of co-lead for the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium. Tackling inequalities in maternity care is a critical priority, and this consortium brings together a wealth of expertise to drive meaningful change. Our goal is to address disparities before, during, and after pregnancy by focusing on research that leads to real improvements in care for families and their babies across the UK. I am particularly looking forward to learning from and working alongside the communities most affected by these inequalities, ensuring that their insights shape our work and lead to lasting, impactful solutions."
Professor Judith Rankin, Consortium Co-lead for Research and Capacity Development, said: “I am delighted to be part of this exciting new Consortium which will help to make the step change we need to improve outcomes for women and their babies
