Today’s MBRRACE-UK report, Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care, records 10 deaths from pre-eclampsia and eclampsia during pregnancy or within six weeks of its end in the UK in 2022–24, compared with four in 2021–23. The reporting periods overlap, and the increase in the death rate was not statistically significant.
Behind each death is a woman whose life mattered, and family and friends living with her loss. Our thoughts are with everyone affected.
For Action on Pre-eclampsia, these findings reinforce the need to keep women’s health firmly in focus after their baby is born. They also underline the importance of recognising pre-eclampsia and related complications promptly, ensuring women receive appropriate treatment and making sure care continues across the transition from maternity services to primary care.
The report’s stroke review identifies gaps in postnatal blood pressure management and communication between hospital and primary care. It stresses the need for discharge information that clearly sets out ongoing conditions, medication, monitoring and follow-up.
This reflects concerns raised in our previous MBRRACE-UK news post: postnatal care must not be treated as an afterthought. Women need clear, consistent information about warning signs, blood pressure checks, medication, test results and follow-up appointments. Communication between maternity teams, GPs, health visitors and other professionals must be timely and complete, so that no one is left unsure about who is responsible for their care.
We want every woman affected by pre-eclampsia to leave hospital knowing what happens next: who will check her blood pressure, who will review her treatment, what symptoms require urgent help and where to get support. Services must make these arrangements clear and ensure information reaches the professionals responsible for her care.
Women and families should also be offered information about the possible longer-term implications of pre-eclampsia, including the importance of ongoing cardiovascular health. A history of pre-eclampsia can be associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke later in life. Follow-up should include appropriate advice and support to help women understand and manage their future health.
Awareness matters, but women should not have to carry the responsibility for identifying and managing risk alone. Listening to concerns, taking symptoms seriously and providing timely assessment must be central to care. Families should be included in conversations where appropriate, particularly when a woman is unwell or recovering after a difficult birth.
Pre-eclampsia can develop for the first time in the days or weeks after birth. Severe headache, changes in vision, pain below the ribs or sudden swelling need urgent medical assessment. If you are pregnant, call your maternity unit. If you have recently given birth or cannot contact your maternity unit, call NHS 111. NHS advice on pre-eclampsia.
At Action on Pre-eclampsia, our message is clear: women deserve information, support and care that continues beyond birth. The lessons from MBRRACE-UK must lead to action so that every woman receives safe, joined-up postnatal care and no warning sign is missed.
