UCL researchers will co-lead a new initiative to reduce maternity inequalities by improving care and support for families before and between pregnancies.
The collaboration will be led by the University of Southampton and is part of a major national initiative announced by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The NIHR Challenge: Maternity Inequalities is a national consortium of universities and partner organisations that aims to develop a 'whole maternity' journey for women and their partners - from preconception through to post-delivery. It will be supported by £50 million over five years.
The UCL co-led collaboration is one of nine across the UK which will come together to address the challenge.
UCL co-lead, Professor Anna David, who is Director of the UCL EGA Institute for Women's Health and Deputy Director of the Tommy's National Centre for Preterm Birth Research*, said: "Reducing maternity inequalities requires new thinking to consider the pregnant person in a holistic way. The time before pregnancy is a critical and sensitive period in shaping a healthy outcome for women and their babies. Small changes here can make a huge difference to maternal and child health.
Professor David, who is supported by the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, added: "At UCL we are delighted to apply our life-course approach to drive actions to reduce maternity inequalities working in this NIHR challenge with our partners."
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 stems 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.
For example, 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.
Meanwhile, Asian women are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after, compared to white women.
The new 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 (between pregnancy) 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 initiative aims to create a more equitable care system that addresses the needs of all women and ensures healthier outcomes for future generations.
Collaboration lead, Professor Keith Godfrey of the University of Southampton and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, 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 and between pregnancies.
"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."
Southampton and UCL have a well-established partnership in this area of research, 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.
UCL researchers will also be partnering with experts at NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, and NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board to form part of the consortium.
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."
* https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/apr/new-ucl-research-drive-tackle-uks-premature-birth-rate
