Racial disparities in baby death rates could be significantly reduced with new pregnancy screening technology, according to new research.

Led by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives, the study followed 20,651 pregnant women - 8,080 who had standard NICE screening and 12,571 who used the new algorithm - from July 2016 to December 2020.

Pregnancy risks are significantly higher for women from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK, with two-three times higher rates of stillbirth and perinatal death compared to their white counterparts, and these disparities are shown to persist even when socioeconomic factors and other demographic variables are taken into account.

Researchers found significant racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes when standard screening was used, with perinatal death rates three times higher among mothers from ethnic minority backgrounds (7.95 deaths per 1,000 births compared with 2.63 per 1,000 births among white mothers) – but when the new screening algorithm was used in conjunction with targeted care, mortality rates were equivalent between ethnic groups.

Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “No woman should lose her baby just because of her race or ethnicity. I’m really proud that the Royal College of Midwives is part of this project and that it’s already making a tangible difference. It is another example of innovation being driven by midwives and obstetricians working in partnership to make maternity care safer and better. All of this great work and effort must continue to be supported with the right levels of funding and resources to enable it to be implemented effectively."

Researchers at St George’s University Hospital NHS Trust in London replaced the standard NICE maternal risk factors checklist with a pregnancy screening algorithm linked to a personalised care pathway, which they developed as part of the Tommy’s National Centre for Maternity Improvement's efforts to make the UK the safest place in the world to give birth. In addition to St George’s who use this algorithm, the clinical decision tool is currently being introduced in three early adopter maternity units across England (Sheffield, Chertsey and Bolton) where the team will further evaluate its implementation.