About the campaign

#EndInequalityInBabyLoss is Sands' campaign to end the deep and persistent racial inequalities in pregnancy and baby loss across the UK. Black babies are more than twice as likely to be stillborn than white babies, and Asian babies almost 50% more likely - inequalities rooted not in biology, but in systemic racism within maternity and neonatal care. 

We are calling on the Government, the NHS and professional bodies to take urgent action so that every family, whatever their background, gets the safe and compassionate care they deserve. 

What the final recommendations from the national maternity and neonatal investigation mean for ending inequalities in baby loss 

On 30 June 2026, Baroness Valerie Amos published the final report and recommendations of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, drawing on the experiences of over 10,500 responses to a public call for evidence and more than 450 families. The maternity and neonatal system in England is failing too many families and for Black and Asian families in particular, that failure is too often shaped by systemic racism and discrimination.

The report identifies racism and discrimination as embedded throughout the maternity and neonatal system, with an unacceptable impact on safety, equity and quality of care. Tackling this is now one of the report's eight core recommendations for reform.

The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Yvette Cooper, will develop a national action plan in response, due in December 2026. We need this Taskforce, and governments across the UK, to adopt new national targets to reduce the number of babies who die and to eliminate inequalities in baby loss as a priority.

Alongside its immediate response, the Government has committed to the national rollout of the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme, to tackle unacceptable inequalities in care for Black and Asian women. 

"We are proud and pleased to see that the Government is rolling out the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme to tackle inequalities in care for Black, Asian, and other underserved communities. This is a big victory: for years, Sands has been campaigning in partnership with Black and Asian bereaved parents and families, and many other organisations, friends and allies working in maternity safety and the baby loss community." 

- Clea Harmer, Chief Executive, Sands 

What the report found  

Baroness Amos' final report identifies racism and discrimination as factors driving the inequalities we see in maternity and neonatal outcomes.

Black and Asian women described being stereotyped in ways that put their safety at risk. Asian women were dismissed as overly anxious, labelled as 'unable to cope'. Black women were treated as though they were stronger, tougher, less in need of care or pain relief. This assumption is no doubt rooted in harmful and false stereotype.