Bereaved parents urge Government to reduce baby loss inequalities
Up to 1,616 Black and Asian babies could have been saved over a five-year period if they’d had… View Post The post Bereaved parents urge Government to reduce baby loss inequalities first appeared on Melan Magazine.
Black News 
Up to 1,616 Black and Asian babies could have been saved over a five-year period if they’d had the same care as white babies, according to new data from Sands, pregnancy and baby loss charity.
The shocking new analysis, part of the charity’s End Inequality in Baby Loss campaign, prompted a group of bereaved parents from Black, South Asian and mixed ethnic backgrounds to support the charity. They delivered an Open Letter to the Prime Minister earlier this week demanding urgent action to end inequalities by ethnicity in baby loss.
In the absence of an updated target to reduce baby deaths in England, since the last target, which was likely unmet, expired last year. The ask is that new targets are set to eliminate inequalities in baby loss and for action across the Government, NHS and professional bodies to make care safer and more equitable – to save Black and Asian babies’ lives.
Baby loss – “The grief was deep and palpable”: readers share their stories
The charity’s research shows these inequalities have been public knowledge for more than 70 years – yet there has been little progress in tackling them. Clearly more work needs to be done to ensure healthcare professionals, trusts and health boards get the training, tools and support to prevent needless stillbirth and neonatal deaths of Black and Asian babies.
Picture credit: Sands
More than 3,300 people signed the Open Letter calling for action. They also shared their experiences of having their concerns ignored and of experiencing differential treatment because of their ethnicity. A spokesperson for Sands, said: “Our End Inequality in Baby Loss campaign, was founded as part of research (carried out between 2019 -2023). We spoke directly with Black and Asian bereaved parents about the maternity and neonatal care they received. This project shone a light on the reality of systemic racism experienced by many Black, Asian and mixed ethnicity families when navigating NHS services.”
Among the bereaved parents who delivered the Open Letter to Downing Street was Rachel Burrell, a Sands volunteer befriender and campaigner. She was supported by Sands following the death of her daughter Rhema, who was stillborn in 2012. She is also a co -founder of the Ebony Bonds baby loss support group.
Why are Black women more likely to suffer a miscarriage than others?
Rachel said: “As someone deeply connected to this campaign through my work as a Sands volunteer, this moment is both powerful and profoundly emotional.
“This campaign is vital because it shines a necessary light on the stark and unacceptable disparities that exist in baby loss outcomes. For too long, Black families have faced a higher risk of losing their babies, alongside inequitable care experiences that compound trauma and grief.
“Seeing the issue of inequality in baby loss gain national attention is a significant milestone. It validates the voices of bereaved families and the tireless efforts of grassroots organisations who have been advocating for change long before it entered mainstream conversation.
“This journey has been about persistence, partnership, and pushing for better. While this moment is important, it is not the end, this letter hand in is a critical step forward. We remain committed to ensuring that this momentum leads to tangible improvements in care, outcomes and support for all bereaved families.”
What NOT to say to someone who has lost a baby!
This campaign shines a light on the reality of systemic racism experienced by many Black, Asian and mixed ethnicity families when navigating NHS services.
In the words of Raj Chagger, a bereaved father who lost his son, Riaan, in November 2020. “No parent’s ethnicity should determine their baby’s chance of survival, yet we know that it still does. That is something we cannot accept. This campaign is about accountability, but also about hope. It’s about real, life – saving action.”
The post Bereaved parents urge Government to reduce baby loss inequalities first appeared on Melan Magazine.
