NMC responds to Birthrights’ report into coercive practices in maternity care

Among other matters, the report highlights concerning accounts of disproportionate threats of referral to social services or police when women question their care – creating fear and undermining trust in maternity services.

The findings point to structural racism and coercive practices that drive inequitable outcomes. Women have described feeling pressured and in some cases being told they cannot make certain decisions about their own care.

The report also shows that healthcare staff fear regulatory consequences for themselves, where women and birthing people make choices that fall outside hospital guidelines, leading to coercion and lack of support for individualised choices.

Commenting on the findings, Paul Rees MBE, Chief Executive and Registrar, said:

“Birthrights’ report shares unacceptable experiences of maternity care – adding to the evidence base that many Black, Asian and ethnic minority women are not receiving safe, kind and equitable care.

“This is unacceptable and is at odds with our standards, which make clear that all people should be supported to make informed choices about their care, based on the best available evidence.

“We’re also clear Fitness to Practise tackles failure to meet our standards, so it’s disheartening to read of concerns from some healthcare professionals about regulatory consequences when supporting women’s choices.

“We want to reassure those concerned professionals that we take context into account when concerns are raised with us, and we only progress cases where there’s evidence of a regulatory concern.”

He added:

“Urgent, meaningful interventions are needed to disrupt the bias that underlies these experiences and inequalities.

“That's why we've launched landmark anti-racism principles, to help tackle the Black maternal health crisis, by ensuring that all midwives, nurses and nursing associates are trained about anti-racism; bias awareness; and cultural curiosity, safety and respect while they’re at university – and that these ideas are embedded in hospitals and other places of work for nursing and midwifery professionals.

“From the autumn of 2027, we’ll go even further with a revised Code that will enshrine anti-racist, culturally safe practice through strengthened behavioural standards.”

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