Black women in the UK are five times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth in comparison to white women. Last week, we supported a campaign to raise awareness of this unacceptable maternal health outcome
This September, NCT supported the UK’s first Black Women’s Maternal Health Awareness Week, which set out to draw people’s attention to the fact that black women in the UK are five times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth compared to white women.
This terrible statistic was one of the key findings of the MBRRACE report in 2018.
The theme of the week, which ran from 16-22 September, was ‘Protecting Black Women.’
Co-founders Tinuke Awe and Clotilde Rebecca Abe hosted an online event on the Saturday evening featuring expert panel discussions, performances and testimonials from black women across the UK.
Tinuke said: “For decades now, black women have had a higher risk of maternal mortality in the UK, and this is completely unacceptable.”
Clotilde Rebecca added: “We hope to be able to provide a supportive platform where we can listen to black mother’s voices and empower them, their families and their friends to advocate for themselves. The week will also provide a place for health professionals to get a chance to learn more about the campaign and what they can do to help change these statistics.”
Although the week is over, you can still take a #fivexmore selfie, post it on Twitter and tag your local MP.
Check out what you can do to help this incredibly important campaign.
Five X More aims to empower black women to make informed choices and advocate for themselves throughout their pregnancies and after childbirth. Find out more about their work here or follow them on Instagram and Twitter at fivexmore_
