The Aporia · Six out of 10 maternity deaths were 'avoidable' with better care, new reviews finds

Six out of 10 maternity deaths were 'avoidable' with better care, new reviews finds

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Taylor, R. (2026, September 27). Six out of 10 maternity deaths were 'avoidable' with better care, new reviews finds. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16165007/Six-10-maternity-deaths-avoidable.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

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Quick Summary

A new study by MBRRACE-UK at the University of Oxford reveals that six out of ten maternal deaths from 2022 to 2024 were avoidable with better healthcare, marking an increase from previous years and reaching a fifteen-year high. Of the 178 reviewed cases, 108 could have been prevented if proper care had been provided. This rise in preventable deaths coincides with a failure to meet government targets; the current rate of maternal deaths due to treatable complications is 57% higher than it was in 2010.

Written by AI on 2026-09-27, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Between 2022 and 2024, an in-depth review by MBRRACE-UK at the University of Oxford found that out of 252 pregnant women or new mothers who died, 178 were included in their analysis. Of these deaths, 108 might have been prevented with better care, indicating that around six in ten maternal deaths during this period were avoidable. This rate is the highest since records began in 2009 and represents a 57% increase from levels reported in 2010, despite government pledges to halve such deaths by then. Bereaved families described the rise as 'disgraceful', while medical professionals highlighted under-resourced and understaffed maternity services as contributing factors to these preventable deaths.

Written for “Maternity Death Reviews Find Improvem…” on 2026-10-30, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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This article reads unscored and hedges 25% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Yvette Cooper accuses NHS of treating women and babies as 'second-class patients' as she vows to introduce new maternity standards Different event

Daily Mail

⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 0 of 28 claims Outlet record 68/100

“The articles describe different events: one about a study on avoidable maternal deaths and another about Yvette Cooper's pledge to improve maternity care.”

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

25%

3 of 12 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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withheld

no quote in the article backed the model's score

Publisher signals

68/100

Daily Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Health

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articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Rosie Taylor

1 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Some six in ten who died in pregnancy, birth or the postnatal period between 2022 and 2024 could have been saved with better care – an all-time high since records began in 2009.

2026-09-27 · mixed framing · Six out of 10 maternity deaths were 'avoidable' with better care, new reviews finds

The only article under this byline in the corpus.

Narrative

Claims (12 extracted, 3 hedged)

- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Record numbers of mothers are dying avoidably in maternity care as preventable deaths hit a 15-year high, data shows. asserted

data → see → high

Some six in ten who died in pregnancy, birth or the postnatal period between 2022 and 2024 could have been saved with better care – an all-time high since records began in 2009. uncertain

records → die → 2009

The rise comes despite a decade of promises from ministers to improve maternity safety. asserted

rise → come → safety

Bereaved families called the increase 'disgraceful', while doctors and midwives warned under-resourced and short-staffed maternity services cannot always provide safe care. asserted

services → call → care

Of the 252 pregnant women or new mothers who died between 2022 and 2024, 178 were included in the in-depth review by research programme MBRRACE-UK at the University of Oxford. Its analysis shows that of those, 108 might still be alive if they had received the right care. uncertain

they → die → care

Although maternal deaths remain rare, the rate of women dying due to treatable complications, such as blood clots, is 57 per cent higher than it was in 2010 despite a government pledge to halve maternal deaths compared with 2010 levels. asserted

it → remain → levels

Allison Felker, maternal programme lead for MBRRACE-UK, said: 'If these conditions are properly recognised and managed then many of these deaths could be prevented.' Families take part in a minute silence following the publication of an independent report into maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust She added: 'Mistakes sometimes get made because staff are overstretched. uncertain

staff → say → Trust

But it is also often the case that staff are going above and beyond but there simply isn't capacity in the system.' asserted

staff → go → system

Jeremy Hunt promised in 2015 to cut the maternal death rate to 5.32 per every 100,000 woman giving birth by 2030. asserted

Hunt → promise → 2030

But the overall rate (including indirect causes) has climbed to 12.80 per 100,000 – more than double the target – while the rate of direct deaths jumped to 5.94 – three times higher than the 1.89 target. asserted

rate → include → target

A Department of Health spokesman said: 'Too many women have not received the maternity care they deserve. asserted

they → say → care

The Health Secretary has made this issue a personal priority.' asserted

issue → make → ?

Six out of 10 maternity deaths were 'avoidable' with better care, new reviews finds

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Claims (12 extracted, 3 hedged)