Study Links Children's Social Care Involvement to Increased Risk of Maternal Death During Perinatal Period in the UK

Recent research published in BMJ Medicine reveals that involvement of children's social care services is a common characteristic in nearly one-third of maternal deaths occurring during or within a year after pregnancy in the UK between 2014 and 2022. The study highlights that these women faced heightened risks of dying from psychiatric causes, including suicide and drug overdose, as well as being victims of murder.

The study analyzed national surveillance data from the MBRRACE-UK project, encompassing 1,695 maternal deaths during this period. Of these, 1,451 cases were examined after excluding those with unknown social care involvement. Findings showed that 420 women, or 29%, had been involved with children’s social care services, with this figure rising from 2014 to reach 34% in 2019-2021.

Most of these women (75%) died between six weeks and twelve months postpartum. The data also indicated that women with social care involvement were more likely to die by suicide (20% vs. 10%), experience drug-related deaths (30% vs. 3%), and murder (5% vs. 2%) compared to women with no social care involvement. They were also younger, more likely to live in deprived areas, unemployed, living alone, and had higher rates of domestic abuse and pre-existing health issues including mental health problems and substance misuse.

Furthermore, women involved with social services received less antenatal care, with many beginning their care after 13 weeks of pregnancy, and faced multiple barriers hindering access to healthcare. Many exhibited complex social risk factors, including trauma, housing insecurity, and financial hardship, which complicated their engagement with health services.

The study emphasized that current multi-agency care systems often suffer from poor communication, disjointed processes, and inadequate coordination, leading to insufficient protection and support for vulnerable women and their babies. The authors stressed the urgent need for reforms in maternity care, focusing on risk assessment, medication management, care coordination, and staff training to ensure holistic, trauma-informed, and personalized support.

While the study does not establish cause-and-effect, its authors advocate for significant policy and practice changes to address the disparities and risks faced by this marginalized group. They call for comprehensive reviews of maternity pathways to better tailor care to women experiencing social adversity, ultimately aiming to reduce health inequalities and improve maternal outcomes.

Source: [https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-children-social-involvement-common-uk.html]