The Black Maternity Scandal: Women react to the Dispatches documentary on black mothers’ mortality rates

Dispatches: Black Maternity Scandal, a documentary about black women and maternity care in the UK, aired on Channel 4 on Monday night.

In November 2020, the Joint Committee on Human Rights released a report titled Black People, Racism and Human Rights. At the time, it found black women were five times more likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth and up to six weeks post-partum, than white women.

The film, fronted by Rochelle Humes, set out to investigate the reasons behind this shocking statistic.

Humes spoke to experts in the field of midwifery and public health, the founders of campaign group Five X More, and women who had experienced traumatic ‘near misses’ or whose family member had tragically passed away after giving birth.

Between 2020 and 2021, there has been a slight reduction in death rates for black women, “but researchers say this decrease is small”, said Humes. The government declined to be interviewed as part of the documentary.

Read more:

The documentary highlighted a major disparity in race and health outcomes and since viewing the programme, many have reacted to the alarming numbers.

Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities Marsha de Cordova MP made a statement after the documentary aired, writing: “It is scandalous that Black women are still over four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women.

“The Government’s inaction on this issue is completely unacceptable. They must address this health inequality and this starts with acknowledging structural and institutional racism. We need urgent action on Black maternal health.”

Viewers also reacted to the documentary on social media. One Twitter user wrote: “For many of us Black and Brown women, this felt like the first time our stories and traumatic, hurtful experiences got a small hearing on national TV.”

Others related first-hand to the experiences being spoken about. One woman said watching it was “bringing back so many mixed feelings of when I had my children”, while another commented: “Wow I felt alone with my experience, to know so many have gone through the same.”

Some hoped the documentary will spark necessary change, writing: “The Black Maternity Scandal was such an upsetting watch and only scratched the surface I’m sure. Momentum around this conversation needs to continue with pace, there’s too much to lose and so much damage already done.”

For some black women, the details in the documentary did not come as a surprise as many have unfortunately experienced not being listened to by medical professionals.

Read more:

Someone wrote: “For many Black women ‘The Black Maternity Scandal’ on Ch 4 is sadly not shocking or eye opening at all. Not being listened to in times of pain has become far too normal and it has to change. Authentic, non-bias personalised care would help in some way to solve this.”

In a Twitter thread, one black woman wrote: “It’s actually sad that pregnancy should be such a beautiful experience but because we’re black women we have to be worried about not being prioritised or listened to.

“I really hope there is a change cause can’t lie it’s one of my fears not even just for myself but friends and family cause these stories are scary.”

Following the broadcast of the documentary, a collective known as #StopErasingBlackWomen published an open letter calling for greater representation of black women in television - both off and on-screen.

“There are many well-known and qualified Black British female TV/media personalities that could bring this story to a wider audience and speak directly about their experience of this issue. For far too long broadcasters, commissioners have contributed to the erasure of Black women in media – openly communicating that we are not palatable, relatable or visible,” the letter reads.

This comes after Rochelle Humes’ role in the documentary was met with criticism a few weeks ago as critics took issue with the fact that Humes, a mixed-race woman, was covering the issue of high maternal mortality rates among black women, when statistically mixed-race women face a lower risk of death.

They also argued that the mother-of-three knew little about the topic and had been notably absent from the ongoing campaigning around the maternal mortality rate.

At the time, online users were calling for a boycott of the film in Twitter feeds and in Clubhouse rooms.

The issue of black maternal mortality rates is due to be debated by MPs in parliament on 19 April 2021.

The Black Maternity Scandal is available to watch on All4.

The Independent has contacted Channel 4 for comment.