Black History Month (BHM), which is celebrated each October in the UK, provides an opportunity to reflect on, recognise and celebrate the achievements, contributions and experiences of Black communities, while also acknowledging the ongoing work needed to address inequalities and promote inclusion.
The theme for BHM2026 – ‘Honouring Our Communities’ – invites us to recognise the individuals, networks and collective efforts that enrich our professions, services and society. Within maternity care, this theme resonates strongly. Given that Black women continue to experience poorer maternity outcomes and inequalities in care, it is essential that research, education and practice are informed by diverse perspectives and lived experiences. Throughout this month, MIDIRS is proud to honour members of the Black research community whose work, featured in MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, has helped advance understanding of the challenges, disparities and opportunities that shape maternity care for Black women and families. Their contributions support evidence-based practice, challenge inequalities and encourage more inclusive approaches to care, research and education.
In this collection, we highlight five articles written by Black authors whose work addresses important issues ranging from representation in research to health inequalities and inclusive care. We thank Dr Sarah Esegbona-Adeigbe, Olamide Solanke, Dr Aniebiet Ekong, Rita Kotey and Jeannine Joseph for sharing their expertise and contributing to the ongoing conversation about how maternity services can better serve all women and families.
As we celebrate Black History Month 2026, we are proud to honour these voices within our research community, and we invite you to explore their work below.
Dr Sarah Esegbona-Adeigbe
Associate Professor in Midwifery
‘Under-representation of Black women in UK research’
MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, December 2023
“A recent UK report, Black Maternal Health (House of Commons 2023), stated that Black women are under-represented in research and therefore in policymaking. This is concerning, as maternal mortality reports highlight that Black women in the UK have been at increased risk of dying in childbirth compared to white women since 2000 (Knight 2022). Racial health disparities for Black mothers have been stated for decades and research is vital in identifying the possible causes. Strategies to improve Black women’s participation in research are needed to discover and address the issues that contribute to maternal mortality.”
Olamide Solanke
Senior Lecturer for Midwifery at the University of Derby
‘Equality, diversity and inclusion: real life implications in midwifery’
MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, June 2025
“This paper presents an evaluation of current knowledge regarding experiences of student midwives and midwives from Black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds concerning equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). The impact of professional and national drivers, such as the role of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, NHS England, Health Education England and Advance HE on EDI and midwifery education are also discussed. The paper also presents an analysis of social influences on midwifery students in the context of EDI. Lastly, a brief review of initiatives to improve EDI in midwifery education are discussed, including the author’s own reflections as an educator in higher education.”
Dr Aniebiet Ekong
Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen
Co-authors: Pramod Regmi, Juliet Wood, Jaqui Hewitt-Taylor
‘Barriers to the uptake of healthy eating messages by Black African immigrant pregnant women living in the UK: midwives’ perspectives’
MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, December 2025
“This article is part of a study that explored the barriers and facilitators to the uptake of healthy eating messages by Black African immigrant pregnant (BAIP) women living in the UK, from the perspective of the midwives that care for them. The findings highlight culture as a significant aspect of the identity of BAIP women, and reveal a lack of culturally adapted and sensitive healthy eating resources and discussions in the NHS. Although BAIP women are often considered ‘hard to engage’, this study suggests that engagement and communication can be enhanced if health care professionals understand the cultural nuances and identities of the Black community. Without culturally appropriate healthy eating information, the impact of unhealthy food choices may be more pronounced among BAIP women compared to natural-born or second-generation Black immigrant women and their White counterparts.”
Rita Kotey
Midwife at Bedfordshire NHS Trust
‘Success of induction of labour among Black women in the UK: a scoping review’
MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, September 2026
“Induction of labour (IOL) is a widely used obstetric intervention, yet significant racial disparities persist in its outcomes. In the UK, Black women face disproportionately higher rates of adverse perinatal outcomes, including increased caesarean sections and reduced satisfaction with birth experiences. The review highlights persistent inequities in IOL outcomes for Black women in the UK. Addressing these disparities requires culturally responsive care, individualised induction protocols, improved communication and antiracist reforms within maternity services.”
Jeannine Joseph
PPI Lead, Kings College London
Co-author: Vicky Robinson
‘Improving care in pregnancy for women with sickle cell: the importance of listening in truly inclusive research and health care education’
MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, December 2023
“Over the past decade, consumer-led campaigns, organisations, research and institutional reports have highlighted the disparity between outcomes for women of Black heritage compared to their White counterparts, and this has included those with sickle cell disorder/disease (SCD), a genetic condition affecting the functioning of red blood cells (SCTAPPG 2021). Two themes raised in these reports and campaigns are the importance of raising the profile of SCD and the significance of involving Black women and those with SCD in all aspects of maternity care, including research into improving the health and experiences of women and babies. It has been acknowledged that people from the global majority are under-represented in all aspects of research in the UK, including the perinatal period (Lovell et al 2023). As women with SCD are more likely to come from an African or Caribbean heritage, they are affected by both their ethnicity and their SCD in relation to lack of research and poorer outcomes. As health care professionals working in the clinical aspect of maternity provision, it is vital that we listen to women in order to get it right.”
Subscribers can find the full articles in their copy of MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, while non-subscribers can purchase individual articles or full Digests here.
Are you interested in writing for the Digest? We are always keen for new submissions and our editors would love to hear from you!
Related Search Packs:
- MS45: Woman-centred care
- M24: Research: the value of
- M96: Institutional racism
