BAME women make up 55% of UK pregnancy hospitalisations with Covid-19

Study prompts experts to issue guidance for maternity workers about increased risk

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More than half of pregnant women who were admitted to hospital with coronavirus in the UK were from a black and minority ethnic background, a study has found, prompting experts to issue guidance for midwives to remain on high alert and lower the threshold for diagnosis by medical professionals.

The study found that 55% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with coronavirus from 1 March to 14 April were from a BAME background. The findings show women from a BAME background were four times more likely to be hospitalised with coronavirus than white women.