CQC’s 2025 maternity survey finds improvements in antenatal communication and mental health support, but highlights remaining gaps in care
The Care Quality Commission has published its national maternity survey 2025, revealing positive trends in antenatal communication and involvement in decisions, alongside ongoing challenges in postnatal support and continuity of care. The findings, based on feedback from more than 16,700 women who used NHS maternity services, offer new insights into where maternity care is improving and where it still needs improvement.
What did the survey find? The good and the bad
The survey highlighted overall improvements in many areas of maternity care in 2025, especially in communication during antenatal care and decision-making during postnatal care. Despite these positive changes, women report poor experiences in other areas of maternity care.
Positive results
Antenatal care
- 89% of respondents said they were always spoken to in a way they could understand, up from 88% in 2024.
- The number of people reporting enough time to ask questions during pregnancy rose to 81% in 2025 from 73% in 2021.
- 90% reported being offered mental health support in 2025, up from 83% in 2021.
Labour and birth
- 77% of respondents said they were always involved in decisions about their care, an increase from 75% in 2024.
Postnatal care
- More respondents said their partner or supporter could stay as much as desired after birth (72% in 2025, up from 63% in 2024).
- 83% were told who to contact for postnatal mental health advice, up from 81% in 2024.
Key areas for improvement
Labour and birth
- Of those whose labour was induced, 14% lacked information on all options, including alternatives.
- 7% said they were sent home at least once despite concerns for themselves or their baby; 3% said this occurred repeatedly.
- 1 in 10 reported being left alone when it worried them, during late labour or birth.
Triage
- Of those who used telephone triage during pregnancy or postnatal care, nearly three-quarters (72%) said they definitely received the advice they needed when they last contacted the service.
- Among in-person triage users, 78% said their midwife or doctor definitely listened during the last visit.
Experiences of maternity care varied across demographics
Subgroup analysis identified disparities in maternity care experiences across demographic groups.
Women reported poorer experiences of care if they spoke English as their main language, were younger (aged 16 to 26), or had less frequent contact with the same midwife during antenatal care, labour and birth, or postnatal care.
Other groups reported poorer than average experiences of care, including those who had an assisted vaginal delivery, a planned or an emergency caesarean delivery, and those who gave birth for the first time.
A postcode lottery affected experiences: women in deprived areas reported worse experiences around respect and dignity during antenatal care. Women with long-term mental health conditions reported poorer experiences of kindness and understanding after birth.
