Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the risk of catchin covid-19 by BME women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

The National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit are using the United Kingdom Obstetric Surveillance System to determine the incidence of hospitalisation with pandemic COVID-19 infection in pregnancy and assess the outcomes of pandemic COVID-19 in pregnancy for mother and infant.

The initial analysis of the study found that there was a strong association between admission with infection and black or minority ethnicity. Consequently, The Royal College of Midwives has launched a targeted campaign to raise awareness of the increased risk to Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women and reassure pregnant mothers that help is available. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is also updating its guidance to reflect the increased risks for BAME women so that health professionals can pass on relevant advice and support to the women in their care.