Increased risk of maternal death among ethnic minority women in the UK

The most recent CEMACH report indicates that the UK maternal mortality rate has not fallen in recent years. This was attributed, in part, to increasing numbers of deaths amongst immigrant women. It is likely that newly‐arrived refugees are affected most. Learning objectives: To be able to identify the factors contributing to the increased maternal mortality and morbidity. To review the published evidence for effectiveness of interventions. To identify appropriate research groups and organisations. Ethical issues: There is evidence to suggest that the care given to women from ethnic minority backgrounds, especially asylum seekers and newly‐arrived refugees, is substandard. Please cite this article as: Ameh CA, van den Broek N. Increased risk of maternal death among ethnic minority women in the UK. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2008;10:177–182.