Written questions

Maternal Mortality

Commons · Question 15453 · Tabled 2 Jul 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care · Official record

Answered 14 Jul 2026

Question

Asked by Alicia Kearns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons why the death rate due to venous thromboembolism in pregnancy and the puerperium is higher in the UK than in other European countries.

Answer

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill, 14 Jul 2026

We recognise the importance of tackling blood clots in pregnancy, also referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE), as the leading cause of maternal death in England. The rate of maternal deaths from thrombosis and thromboembolism rose substantially betwe...