Over half of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Coronavirus in the UK, have been studied to be from a black and minority ethnic background. A study found that 55 per cent of pregnant women admitted for testing positive from March 1 to April 14, were from a BAME background.
It suggests that for pregnant women, being from a BAME background is a stronger predictor of the likelihood of being hospitalised with coronavirus than age and obesity. The data had prompted the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) to develop new guidance for midwives and maternity support workers to ensure they are aware of the increased risks for BAME women, and that there is a lower threshold for looking into symptoms.
Lead researcher of the study at Oxford University, Prof Marian Knight acknowledged in a report that the glaring disparities in maternal health according to ethnicity wasn't really a secret. However, they added, the surprising part is the extent of the imbalance.
