About 20,000 pregnant women in England are estimated to disclose domestic abuse to maternity services every year, highlighting the pressure on midwives and other healthcare workers responsible for identifying and responding to cases.
An analysis of data from 74 NHS trusts found that about 3.3% of maternity bookings involved disclosures of current or previous domestic abuse. When applied to national maternity activity, the figure suggests approximately 20,000 disclosures annually.
Experts believe the actual number of women experiencing domestic abuse during pregnancy is likely to be higher because not every case is reported to healthcare professionals.
Midwives are considered particularly important in identifying abuse because they may be among the few professionals who regularly see pregnant women privately during pregnancy.
However, maternity staff are facing significant workloads and staffing pressures, raising concerns about whether they have enough time, resources and specialist support to respond effectively when abuse is disclosed.
The Royal College of Midwives said the findings demonstrate the important role midwives already play in identifying domestic abuse but stressed that recognising a disclosure is only the beginning.
Staff need appropriate training to assess risks, respond safely and connect women with specialist services, particularly because pregnancy and the early period after childbirth can provide an important opportunity for intervention.
Women’s Aid also called for stronger support and training for maternity professionals, noting that midwives are already working under considerable pressure in busy maternity units.
The organisation said healthcare workers need clear guidance on what to do after a woman discloses domestic abuse and how to ensure she can access appropriate support.
The data was collected by the For Baby’s Sake Trust from NHS trusts across England. Of the 118 trusts contacted, 74 supplied usable information, with the analysis based on an average of the most recent three years of available data.
The findings highlight the wider challenge facing maternity services, where staff shortages and demanding workloads can make it more difficult to provide comprehensive support to vulnerable patients.
NHS England said maternity and neonatal staff receive mandatory safeguarding training, including specialist training on how to ask sensitive questions about domestic abuse.
The health service also said midwives can refer women to specialist domestic abuse services for assistance with issues including housing and legal advice.
Domestic abuse during pregnancy can have serious consequences for both women and babies, making early identification and access to support particularly important.
The latest figures therefore underline the need for maternity services to have sufficient staffing, training and specialist referral systems to ensure disclosures receive an appropriate response.
With thousands of women estimated to disclose abuse to maternity professionals each year, experts say pregnancy and the early postnatal period represent an important opportunity to identify risks and connect affected families with support.
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