North Bristol NHS Trust has received a grant to support work to improve the experience of pregnant women from black and Asian backgrounds.
The grant has been made by the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Vaccination Programme’s Reducing Inequalities Grant Awards.
Data from MBRRACE shows that women from black and Asian backgrounds have worse outcomes in pregnancy and childbirth but it is not really known why. People from black and Asian backgrounds have also been found to be more likely to be affected by COVID, with pregnant women from these backgrounds more likely to be hospitalised than white women.
The project, which involves staff from different parts of North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) working with Shahporan Islamic Centre to understand more about women’s experiences in pregnancy and childbirth.
This will enable clinical staff to then consider what improvements can be made to better support women from black and Asian backgrounds when they are pregnant or having their babies.
Focus groups will be held with women so that they can share their experiences and views about the care they received and how they feel things could have been done better.
Respiratory Consultant, Dr Huzaifa Adamali said: “This is such an important city-wide commitment in improving health outcomes for all communities, especially our mothers and their children.
"This collaboration between BNSSG and NBT will impact BAME maternal mortalities.
“It’s a privilege to be supported by this award.”
Obstetrician, Dr Lisa Kirk, said: “We know we need to learn more about why women from black and Asian backgrounds have worse outcomes in pregnancy and childbirth so that we can improve the experience of women.
"We hope that talking to women will really help us understand their experience so that we can understand how to better support them and improve their outcomes.
“We are grateful to the Vaccination Programme for funding this important work.”