When a woman cries out for help in labour, she expects to be heard. But for far too many Black women in the UK, those cries fall on deaf ears.
The Black Maternity Experiences Survey, led by campaigners Five X More, has laid bare a horrifying truth: Black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy, labour, or postpartum than white women. Babies born to Black mothers are twice as likely to die in the womb or shortly after birth. And behind these statistics are stories of pain dismissed, warnings ignored, and humanity denied.
The report, based on testimonies from more than 1,300 Black and mixed-heritage women, paints a devastating picture of maternity care in Britain. It shows how racism, both overt and unconscious, seeps into every stage of care.
Women recounted begging for pain relief only to be brushed aside, told they were “fine,” “coping,” or, in some cases, that “women like you should be able to take the pain.”
One mother was left alone and gave birth in a hospital toilet; her baby fell into the loo on the final push because no midwife had checked on her for hours. Another described pleading for an epidural as something felt wrong, only for her concerns to be dismissed until it was nearly too late.
The survey’s numbers are chilling:
- 80% of Black women reported needing pain relief during labour.
- Of those who didn’t get the pain relief they requested, 52% were never told why.
- 43% said their pain relief options weren’t explained to them at all.
This isn’t just bad communication, it’s structural racism. For centuries, false, dehumanising beliefs have persisted that Black people have a “higher pain tolerance.” Those beliefs still lurk in hospital wards today, shaping the care women receive, or don’t.
The consequences go beyond physical harm. Women spoke of long-term trauma, fear of future pregnancies, and a complete loss of trust in maternity services. Some reported that their families were now afraid to seek NHS maternity care at all.
This isn’t just about maternity wards. It is part of a wider, systemic failure. Racism is entrenched in British institutions, from the police to the courts, and, as this report makes painfully clear, in healthcare too.
The patina of decency and dignity Britain prides itself on is cracking. The hypocrisy is laid bare when a Black woman’s screams in labour are ignored while another’s pain is swiftly treated.
Black women’s pain matters. Black women’s lives matter. Until we accept that these failings stem from a system built on bias and inequality, we will never fix them.
It is not enough to “raise awareness.” The NHS, policymakers, and society itself must demand change, because childbirth should bring joy, not fear.
