What Is the Maternal Care Bundle?
Published on: 07/01/2026
NHS England has published their latest Maternal Care Bundle, a new national framework designed to reduce maternal mortality and serious maternal illness across England. The bundle sets out minimum standards of care that NHS maternity services are expected to implement by March 2027.
While much of the document is technical, its core aim is clear: to reduce preventable harm, improve consistency of care, and address long-standing inequalities in maternal outcomes.
Why has the new Maternal Care Bundle been introduced?
Recent national data shows that maternal deaths in the UK have increased compared with a decade ago, and that outcomes are not equal for everyone. Women from Black and Asian backgrounds, and those living in the most deprived areas, are significantly more likely to experience severe complications or die during or after pregnancy.
Independent reviews have found that improvements in care may have made a difference in nearly half of maternal deaths. The Maternal Care Bundle responds to this by setting out clear, evidence-based actions for NHS services.
What does the bundle focus on?
The Maternal Care Bundle covers five areas linked to the highest risk of maternal harm:
Blood clots (venous thromboembolism) – early risk assessment and rapid access to preventative treatment
Emergency and acute care – improving how unwell pregnant women are identified, assessed and escalated across services
Epilepsy in pregnancy – ensuring timely specialist input before, during and after pregnancy
Maternal mental health – consistent screening and compassionate, timely follow-up
Severe bleeding (obstetric haemorrhage) – standardised responses to identify and manage bleeding quickly
Across all five areas, the bundle emphasises early recognition of risk, clear escalation pathways, and multidisciplinary working.
What does this mean for maternity services?
The bundle requires coordinated action across maternity units, emergency services, primary care, mental health services and specialist teams. It also reinforces the importance of:
-Clear communication between services
-Robust safety-netting for women who feel unwell or concerned
-Early intervention rather than delayed escalation
-Consistent standards regardless of location
Importantly, the bundle highlights that maternity safety does not stop at birth. A significant proportion of maternal deaths occur weeks or months after pregnancy, underlining the importance of postnatal follow-up and continuity of care.
Why equity and personalised care matter
A key theme throughout the Maternal Care Bundle is equity. NHS services are expected to consider how care is delivered to women who face additional barriers including language, disability, social complexity or previous trauma.
The bundle also reinforces the importance of informed decision-making, ensuring women are supported to understand their options, risks and choices, and are listened to when raising concerns.
Where MAMA Academy fits in
At MAMA Academy, we know that awareness, confidence and clear information save lives. Tools like the MAMA Wellbeing Wallet help parents recognise warning signs, understand when to seek help, and advocate for themselves, aligning closely with the principles set out in the Maternal Care Bundle.
Improving outcomes requires both system-level change and empowered parents. This bundle is one part of that wider picture.
The Maternal Care Bundle focuses on reducing preventable harm through early recognition, clear escalation, informed decision-making and equitable care. Many of these principles are already reflected in MAMA Academy’s practical resources for parents and professionals.
Below is how MAMA Academy’s work aligns with the bundle’s key themes.
Early Recognition of Risk
A core aim of the Maternal Care Bundle is to ensure that warning signs of deterioration are recognised early and acted on promptly.
MAMA Academy resources support this by:
-Clearly outlining symptoms that require urgent assessment, including reduced fetal movements, bleeding, severe pain, infection symptoms and feeling unwell
-Reinforcing when to contact maternity services immediately, rather than waiting
-Providing consistent safety messages in a format parents can refer back to at any time
Check out our relevant resources here:
Pregnancy safety information pages
Reduced fetal movement awareness resources
Clear Escalation and Access to Care
The bundle highlights the importance of timely escalation across services, including emergency and postnatal care.
MAMA Academy supports escalation by:
-Encouraging parents to trust their instincts and seek help when something feels wrong
-Normalising self-referral to maternity triage and urgent assessment
-Reinforcing that maternity units are available 24/7
Check out our relevant resources here:
“When to call your maternity unit” guidance
Helpline support for anxious or uncertain parents
Advocacy tools for parents and birth partners
Informed Choice and Shared Decision-Making
The Maternal Care Bundle emphasises informed decision-making and respectful communication, particularly when care needs to change.
MAMA Academy supports this by:
-Providing plain-language explanations of common pregnancy risks and interventions
-Supporting parents to understand their choices and ask questions
-Encouraging early conversations with maternity teams about preferences and concerns
Check out our relevant resources here:
Birth choices and advocacy tools
Educational content for parents and partners
Maternal Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Mental health is a key focus of the bundle, recognising that emotional wellbeing is integral to maternal safety.
MAMA Academy contributes by:
-Offering a free pregnancy helpline for parents experiencing anxiety
-Providing reassurance, signposting and a space to talk
-Supporting parents during pregnancy after loss, previous trauma or complications
Check out our relevant resources here:
MAMA Academy pregnancy helpline and Peer to Peer groups
Emotional wellbeing and support pages
Equity, Accessibility and Reducing Inequalities
The Maternal Care Bundle places strong emphasis on addressing inequalities and improving outcomes for women at higher risk of harm.
MAMA Academy supports equitable care by:
-Providing safety information in over 100 languages through digital translation tools
-Using clear, accessible formats that support understanding regardless of background
-Advocating for consistent standards of care and listening to women’s concerns
Check out our relevant resources here:
Community engagement and awareness campaigns
Partnership work with NHS Trusts and community organisations
Supporting Safer Maternity Care Together
System-level improvements and informed parents are both essential to improving maternity outcomes. While the Maternal Care Bundle sets out expectations for NHS services, MAMA Academy’s resources aim to ensure parents have the knowledge, confidence and support to engage with care safely and effectively.
Together, these approaches help move maternity care towards earlier intervention, better communication and fewer preventable harms.