National Maternity Surveys

National Maternity Surveys are important to find out about women’s health and experiences of care around the time of pregnancy. Information from these surveys provides snapshots of care and points for comparison over time. The results of these surveys are used to help improve maternity care throughout the country.

You and Your Baby Survey 2018

The ‘You and Your Baby’ survey 2018 explored the health and wellbeing of women who had recently given birth in England. Women were invited to take part in the survey six months after giving birth and a total of 4,509 women returned postal or online questionnaires. Looking at trends over time, the results suggest that there have been some positive changes in recent years in terms of infant feeding practices, smoking behaviours around the time of pregnancy, and return to work patterns following childbirth. These developments continue longer-term trends which reflect changes in legislation and policy. One significant challenge highlighted by the survey is the ongoing need to address maternal mental health problems and to offer women the support they need.

Thank you very much to all those women who took part in the survey. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your views and experiences with us.

A report of the findings from the ‘You and Your Baby’ survey and an infographic summary of the key findings are available to download here:

You and Your Baby 2018 Survey Report

You and Your Baby 2018 Infographic

If you would like to look at the findings from the previous National Maternity Surveys, please click on the links below.

Previous maternity surveys

You and Your Baby Pilot Survey 2016/2017

Thank you very much to all those women who returned online or postal questionnaires. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your views and experiences with us. A report of the key findings from the pilot survey will be available for you to download.

You & Your Baby - Final Report

National Maternity Survey 2014

Findings of the 2014 National Maternity Survey, launched on 26th February, show that, compared with earlier surveys in 2006 and 2010, women are realising they are pregnant and seeing a health professional earlier, with 96% seeking care by 12 weeks. Other results show that postnatal hospital stays are continuing to get shorter and the number of postnatal visits is declining. Overall satisfaction with care remains high although, as in earlier surveys, satisfaction with postnatal care is lower than that for antenatal care or care in labour and delivery. 

The results of the 2014 National Maternity Survey is available to download:

Safely delivered - NMS 2014

Survey Team Lead: Maggie Redshaw

National Maternity Survey 2010

More than 5000 women who had recently given birth responded to a questionnaire in 2010 about their experience of care during pregnancy, childbirth and the early months at home. This survey found that most women were positive about their care, although satisfaction with postnatal care was lower suggesting that this is an area of concern.

The survey was funded by the Department of Health.

The results of the 2010 survey on women's pregnancy, labour and birth and postnatal care and their views of care can be downloaded here:

'Delivered with care' report

The NPEU carried out a similar National Survey of Experience of Maternity Care in 2006 providing a benchmark of practice and a baseline for measuring change over time. The results of that national survey of recent mothers were published in March 2007 and can be downloaded here:

Maternity Survey Report

Maternity Survey Studies

Further research has been carried out using the survey data from 2006 and 2010 including studies on: measuring women's perceptions of care, worries about labour and birth, health problems in pregnancy, women's experience of caesarean section, induction of labour and infant feeding, health outcomes for women, anxiety and depression during pregnancy and after childbirth, and social and ethnic differences in antenatal screening. View the NPEU publications.