National Survey shows some improvement in maternity care experiences, but further work is needed to ensure safe high-quality care for all

Findings from a CQC survey of more than 16,750 women who used NHS maternity services in 2025 reveal several areas where people are reporting a better experience – particularly in relation to communication with staff and mental health support. However, despite this positive trajectory, the survey results also show that for some, issues around access to advice and support, feeling listened to when they had concerns, and being left alone at a time when it worried them continue to have a negative impact.

Published today (Wednesday 10 December 2025), the results from CQC's latest annual national maternity survey capture what women who gave birth in February 2025* felt about the care they received while pregnant, in hospital during and after labour, and once at home in the weeks following the arrival of their baby.

This year's results show that many respondents remain positive about their interactions with staff – particularly during pregnancy. The majority (89%) of those surveyed said they were ‘always' spoken to in a way they could understand by staff providing antenatal care (up from 88% who said this in 2024), and over four fifths (81%) said that they were ‘always' given enough time to ask questions or discuss their pregnancy during antenatal check-ups (compared with 80% in 2024 and 73% in 2021).

More than three-quarters (77%) said that they were ‘always' involved in decisions about their care during labour and birth (compared to 75% in 2024) and a larger proportion of respondents this year said that their partner or someone else close to them was able to stay with them as much as they wanted after the birth (72% in 2025 compared with 63% in 2024).

The results also indicate a slight increase in discussions around mental health support. Seventy-seven per cent of people surveyed said that they were ‘definitely' asked about their mental health during their antenatal check-ups (compared with 76% in 2024 and 69% in 2021). Eighty-three per cent said they were told who to contact if they needed advice about any changes to their mental health after giving birth (up from 81% in 2024).

However, despite these encouraging trends, for some people surveyed the care they received fell short of expectations indicating the need for further improvement throughout all stages of the maternity pathway.

One in 10 survey respondents said they were left alone at a time when it worried them – either ‘during the later stages of labour' (7%) or ‘during the birth' (3%) – with trend analysis over time showing no change since 2021.

Fifteen per cent of those that took part in the survey felt they were not given appropriate advice and support when they contacted a midwife or the hospital at the start of their labour (unchanged from 2024). Eighteen per cent also reported that they felt that they were not taken seriously if they raised a concern during their labour and birth (unchanged from 2024).

This year for the first time respondents were asked whether they felt that they had received the advice they needed when they contacted the telephone triage line. Nearly three-quarters (72%) said they ‘definitely' had, but over a fifth (21%) said they only received this advice ‘sometimes'.

Just over half (57%) of people surveyed said that they were ‘always' able to get a member of staff to help them when they needed it while in hospital after the birth of their child with 10% saying they could not get help when they needed it, at all. While this an improvement compared to 2024 longer term trend analysis indicates limited change since 2021.

Subgroup analysis of the survey results at a national level show that those who had higher frequency of contact with the same midwife during their antenatal care, labour and birth, and postnatal care were more positive about their experiences for many of the question areas. The correlation between greater continuity of care and a more positive maternity experience was particularly evident in relation to feeling listened to, getting help when it was needed and being involved in decisions about their care.

Additionally, survey respondents from the most deprived neighbourhoods (as determined by the IDP) were less likely to say they felt treated with dignity and respect during antenatal care. While respondents with a long-term mental health condition were less likely to say they were treated with kindness and understanding when in hospital after the birth of their child.

Dr Toli Onon, CQC's Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said: “It is encouraging to see that satisfaction amongst many of those surveyed remains high, and it is really positive that for some aspects of care women are reporting a better experience than in 2024. That's a direct reflection of the efforts of frontline staff working hard to provide high quality care in the face of significant challenges at a national level.

“However, it's clear that far too many women feel their care could have been better. Inability to access help when needed and not feeling listened to when trying to voice concerns are persistent themes. Disappointingly, these are issues where previous maternity surveys have shown similar results with satisfaction levels remaining stubbornly static over time.

“We have heard first hand from those working in maternity services that they have their own concerns about the effect of staff shortages and the impact that has on their ability to provide the standard of care they would like to deliver. Our analysis shows that women who see the same midwife throughout their pregnancy are more likely to report positive experiences – but we know staffing pressures can make continuity of care difficult. Continued efforts to address staffing shortages in maternity services must be a national priority.

“We will continue to report on the findings from our individual inspections of NHS Trust maternity services across England making clear where we find action is needed as well as where we see things working well. Alongside this I hope that all Trusts will use their survey results to help identify changes they can make to drive up quality in their own services.”

The full results for England, are available on the CQC's website at www.cqc.org.uk/maternitysurvey

The maternity survey is carried out annually and aims to help trusts better understand the experiences of people using maternity services and identify areas for improvement. The results are used by CQC as part of its wider monitoring of hospital services and will feed into future maternity service inspections.

Notes to editors

1. For further information about the 2025 maternity survey, including results for all 119 trusts that took part and a national report, please visit: www.cqc.org.uk/maternitysurvey
2. The survey was open between April and July 2025 and included all NHS acute trusts providing maternity services to people aged 16 or over who gave birth at the trust in February 2025 (and January 2025 for smaller trusts*).
3. The maternity survey is part of the wider NHS Patient Survey Programme (NPSP). The NPSP collects patient experience data across children and young people's, inpatient, urgent and emergency, maternity, and community mental health services.
4. In the survey findings reports CQC refers to ‘women', but recognises and respects that some transgender men, non-binary people and people with variations in sex characteristics or who are intersex may also use maternity services and experience some of the same issues.