Funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has established the NIHR Inequalities Challenge: Maternity Disparities Consortium which will unite higher education, NHS, community and voluntary organisations to close the most critical gaps in maternal care, under the leadership of the University of Birmingham and Newcastle University.

The NIHR has committed £50 million over five years to drive forward the vital research led by clinicians, researchers, and communities across the consortium marking the most significant step forward in maternal health research in a generation.

The launch comes at a pivotal moment for maternity care in the UK, with national attention increasingly focused on improving safety, equity and women’s experiences of care.

The Government’s renewed Women’s Health Strategy highlights the need to improve care before and between pregnancies for underserved communities, against this backdrop, the consortium will generate the evidence, interventions and research capacity needed to help translate national ambition into practical, equitable improvements for women, babies and families.

University of Birmingham is leading on improving maternity care pathways across the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal periods, ensuring that every woman receives the right care, at the right time, throughout her pregnancy journey.

Professor Joht Singh Chandan, Consortium Co-lead for Research, University of Birmingham said: “National attention on maternity safety and equity has never been greater, but ambition must now be matched by evidence and implementation. Through this consortium, we will work across the UK to understand what works, for whom and in what contexts, and to ensure that research leads to practical changes in care for the women, babies and families who need them most.”

Professor Judith Rankin OBE, Consortium Co-lead for Research and Capacity Development, Newcastle University said: “This funding represents a critical opportunity to make the step change we need to improve outcomes for women and their babies. Alongside the research, the Consortium will be investing in tomorrow’s research leaders today to ensure we have the capacity to deliver on improving pregnancy outcomes, access to, and experience of, care.”

Maternal health inequalities remain one of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS. In the UK, Black women continue to face a substantially higher risk of dying during or after pregnancy than white women, and women and families living in the most deprived communities continue to experience poorer outcomes. These inequalities are not inevitable.

Dr Vicky Hodgetts Morton, Associate Professor in Obstetrics at the University of Birmingham, Consultant Obstetrician and Co-Lead of the consortium’s Pregnancy, birth and early postnatal mental health theme said: “Too many women and families continue to experience avoidable disparities in maternity care and outcomes. This Consortium brings together researchers, clinicians, women, families and communities from across the UK with a shared commitment to tackling these inequalities.

“Working alongside colleagues at the University of Birmingham, including Professor Laura Jones, Professor Katie Morris, Professor Amy Grove, Dr Sarah Hillman and Dr Michelle Fisher, and partners across the Consortium, we are combining scientific expertise, lived experience and strong partnerships to better understand why these disparities occur and, more importantly, develop solutions that make a real difference.”

Dr Michelle Fisher, Senior Research Fellow in Applied Health at the University of Birmingham, and Emerging Co-Lead of the Racism, Discrimination and Intersectionality workstream said: “This research consortium is an important advancement in enabling researchers, service users, charities, communities, clinicians, and leaders to tackle racism and discrimination in the maternity care system across the UK.”

The NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium will bring together clinicians, researchers, women, families and communities across the UK to develop practical, evidence-based solutions that can improve care, reduce avoidable harm and support better outcomes for mothers, babies and families.

The NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium is a first of a series of NIHR Inequality challenge focused fundings calls secured by the University of Birmingham which includes the NIHR Cardiovascular Inequalities Challenge.

Key areas of research

Before and between pregnancies (preconception and interpregnancy care)

The consortium will examine how women and families can be better supported before pregnancy and between pregnancies. This includes improving access to advice and care that can help people prepare for pregnancy, manage existing health conditions and reduce risks before they build up.

Pregnancy, birth and early recovery after birth

Research will focus on improving care during pregnancy, birth and the early weeks after birth. This will include work on major causes of poor maternal health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes in pregnancy, obesity, perinatal mental health and complications during recovery after birth.

Care for babies and families after birth

The consortium will develop and test better ways to support babies and families who are at higher risk of poor outcomes. This includes improving follow up care after birth, strengthening links between hospital and community services, and supporting families as they move from maternity and neonatal care into longer term child and family support.

Access, communication and experience of care

The programme will look at how services can be easier to access, easier to understand and more responsive to women and families. This includes improving communication, language support, shared decision making and the overall experience of care, particularly for those who are least well served by current systems.

Tackling racism, discrimination and unfairness

The consortium will ensure that research directly addresses racism, discrimination and other forms of unfairness that affect maternity care and outcomes. This will be built into how interventions are designed, delivered and evaluated.

Working with communities

Women, families and community organisations will help shape the research from the beginning. The consortium will work with peer researchers, charities and community partners to make sure the work reflects real experiences and is useful to the people most affected by maternity inequalities.

Using data and evidence to drive change

The programme will use data, digital tools, health economics and real-world evaluation to understand what works, for whom and in what circumstances. This will help identify practical changes that can be delivered fairly and scaled across different parts of the UK.