Event
Reflections Webinar: MBRRACE-UK Maternal Mortality Report
On Thursday 24 September, we hosted a reflection webinar on the 2026 MBRRACE-UK maternal mortality report.
On Thursday 24 September, we hosted a reflection webinar on the 2026 MBRRACE-UK maternal mortality report.
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On Thursday 24 September, we hosted a reflection webinar on the 2026 MBRRACE-UK maternal mortality report. In September 2026, the MBRRACE-UK report provided evidence of increasing rates of maternal mortality in this country, and painted a clear picture of how social complexity, inequity and disadvantage intersect with maternal mortality.
In this webinar, Birth Companions Institute Director Kirsty Kitchen and Birth Companions Ambassadors Dr Annabel Sowemimo and Leah Hazard provide insights and reflections on what needs to happen next to drive meaningful change across services and systems.
Kirsty Kitchen leads the Birth Companions Institute, working with researchers, parliamentarians, policymakers, lawyers, the media and a range of partners to drive radical change for women and their babies. She works closely with our Lived Experience Programme and Birth Companions' services. Her career has focused on policy and communications for charities and government, highlighting social issues and campaigning for justice. She has been involved with Birth Companions since 2015.
Dr Annabel Sowemimo is a doctor, academic, activist and writer. She is an NHS Consultant in Sexual & Reproductive Health working in South London. Her dedication to tackling gender-based violence, addressing racial inequalities, and improving access to healthcare for marginalised groups has been recognised across her career. In 2023, she received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH).
Leah Hazard is a midwife, bestselling author, activist and mother of two young women. Leah’s bestselling memoir, "Hard Pushed: A Midwife’s Story", was a Sunday Times bestseller, bringing the complexity of modern midwifery into the public eye. Her next book, "Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began", was 2023 Scottish Book of the Year. Leah is currently working on her next book, "Birth Wars: The Hidden Battles Changing Our Bodies and Our World", which will be published by Penguin Press in 2026.
Watch the recording here: