Black mothers across most of England lack targeted maternal mental health support despite facing higher risks during and after pregnancy, a report has found.

The analysis found a patchwork of provision across England, with inconsistent data, funding and support for Black women.

The vast majority of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) do not commission services specifically for Black maternal mental health, while five hold no information on such provision.

The findings come from Understanding local provision for Black maternal mental health, a briefing produced through the Black Maternal Mental Health project, led by The Motherhood Group in partnership with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance and Centre for Mental Health.

The briefing is based on Freedom of Information responses from 35 of England’s 36 ICBs.

Most ICBs rely on general perinatal mental health services, but gaps in available data mean it is impossible to determine whether these services meet the needs of Black mothers, the report found.

Black women face a higher risk of developing mental health problems during and after pregnancy but are less likely to receive the support they need, according to the briefing.

Mental health problems also remain a leading cause of maternal deaths.

The report found that many ICBs do not have a complete picture of activity in their areas, including training delivered by community organisations, making it difficult to hold the NHS to account.

Some ICBs are commissioning targeted services and working with community groups, showing that good practice exists.

The briefing calls on NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care to establish clear national guidance on ICBs’ responsibility for commissioning, monitoring and evaluating culturally competent, trauma-informed services for Black mothers, coproduced with Black women and communities.

It also calls for routine, linked data collection on Black mothers’ perinatal mental health experiences and outcomes.

ICBs are also urged to invest sustainably in community-led services, work with organisations trusted by Black mothers and learn from existing good practice, including anti-racism and cultural competency training.

A £254m UK funding package will expand reproductive health access for millions of women and girls across 54 countries.

The government said the investment will support family planning for more than 15 million women each year and could prevent 14 million unintended pregnancies and more than 35,000 maternal deaths by 2028.

The funding will expand access to contraceptives and safe abortion products, as well as medicines and equipment for maternal and newborn healthcare.

Women will be supported to access family planning products including condoms, pills, implants and coils.

The programme will also provide equipment to improve early detection of post-partum haemorrhage, severe bleeding after childbirth, and treatments shown to reduce severe bleeding by almost two thirds.

Kirsty McNeill, minister for development, said: “It is a scandal that women and girls are denied the fundamental right to make informed choices about their own body, free from coercion, discrimination and violence.

“Every woman and girl should be able to make decisions about her own future. That choice can mean staying in school, finding work or surviving childbirth.

“The funding I have announced will help give millions more women and girls across the world autonomy over their bodies, control over their futures, and the chance to fulfil their full potential.”

The funding will be delivered through the CHOICES programme, working with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) across more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries, including conflict zones.

An estimated 259 million women who want to avoid or delay pregnancy are not using safe, modern contraceptive methods.

The government said it will also work with national governments to support sustainable health systems as countries transition away from donor funding.

Maternal deaths have fallen by 40 per cent since 2000, but progress has been uneven, with 70 per cent occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

CHOICES operates in more than 50 countries, including Afghanistan, Chad, the Gambia, Malawi, Sudan and Yemen. It focuses on countries with the highest rates of death in childbirth and lowest rates of contraceptive use, as well as providing emergency support during humanitarian crises.

UK parents affected by pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will gain a legal right to up to two weeks of unpaid leave from April 2027.

The entitlement will cover miscarriage, terminations and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfers, giving those affected a formal right to time away from work following a loss.

It will also apply to partners, the other biological parent and intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement.

Vicki Robinson, chief executive of Miscarriage UK, said: “We welcome today’s announcement that bereavement leave for pre-24-week pregnancy loss will become law in April 2027, with an increased minimum of two weeks’ leave and an entitlement that recognises partners, too.

“This is an important step in recognising pregnancy loss as a bereavement and the profound impact it can have, and we hope will provide a baseline for employers to go further.

“We still strongly believe bereavement leave should be paid, and we will continue to press for this through our Leave for Every Loss campaign.

“We will continue work with Government to ensure the detail and guidance provide meaningful and compassionate support for everyone affected by pregnancy loss.”

There is currently no legal right to bereavement leave following pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.

The change follows campaigning by parents who experienced pregnancy loss without formal recognition of their loss.

An estimated one in five women in the UK experience a miscarriage during their lifetime.

The new entitlement is intended to provide greater consistency for families across Great Britain following pregnancy loss.