International Women’s Day 2025 – Tackling Language Barriers in Maternity Care

This International Women’s Day, Word360 is accelerating action to ensure every mother is heard and understood. Language should never be a barrier to safe maternity care. By working with healthcare providers, we aim to ensure all women receive the support they need for a safe and informed pregnancy journey.

International Women’s Day 2025

International Women's Day's 2025 theme, "Accelerate Action," emphasises the urgency of advancing women's rights and health globally. In the UK, addressing inequalities in maternity care is a critical aspect of this mission for Word360.

Maternity is a key focus for the NHS in tackling health inequalities as part of the Core20 PLUS5.

Recent reports (such as Ockenden) highlight challenges faced by women, particularly those from ethnic minorities and non-English-speaking backgrounds.

Language barriers in maternity care can significantly impact the quality and safety of services provided to expectant mothers.

Key statistics highlighting this issue include:

• Language Barriers: Nearly one-third of women giving birth in England and Wales are born outside the UK. Migrant women, especially asylum seekers and refugees, often face challenges due to limited English proficiency, impacting their access to and experience of maternity services. (Ref: babylifeline.org.uk)
• Lack of Professional Interpretation: A confidential enquiry by MBRRACE-UK reviewed the care of 25 women who had recently arrived in the UK and did not speak English. It found that in almost 73% of healthcare contacts, there was no formal record of professional interpretation services being provided. (Ref: org.uk)

Effective communication is vital for safe and inclusive maternity care. Language barriers can lead to misunderstandings, reduced patient engagement, and adverse health outcomes.

Providing professional interpreting and translation services ensures that non-English-speaking women receive accurate information and feel supported throughout their maternity journey.

Word360's Commitment:

At Word360, we are dedicated to bridging communication gaps in healthcare. Our comprehensive language solutions, including face-to-face interpreting, telephone interpreting, and document translation, are designed to support non-English-speaking patients, especially women during their maternity care.

By collaborating with healthcare providers, we aim to enhance patient experiences and contribute to equitable healthcare outcomes for all women.

Kavita Parmar, CCO at Word360 shares her thoughts -

'In 2025, there should be no reason why a women with communication barriers should have a different patient experience to others. At Word360, we recognise that language should never be a barrier to quality maternity care.

The statistics are clear—far too many non-English-speaking women are facing critical challenges due to a lack of professional interpretation services. As we mark International Women’s Day 2025 with the theme ‘Accelerate Action,’ we are committed to driving change by ensuring that every woman, regardless of language, has access to safe, inclusive, and informed maternity care. It’s time to break down communication barriers and make equitable healthcare a reality for all.' 

Across the business, we share a commitment to advancing women's rights and ensuring equitable access to essential services. Through each of our roles at Word360, we accelerate action to create a world that is inclusive, and accessible for all Women by breaking communication barriers.

We’ve worked alongside charities, hospitals, and maternity wards across the UK, providing language interpreting and translation solutions to break down barriers in healthcare, but there’s more work to be done.

Join our mission to create a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system for women. 

📩 getintouch@word360.co.uk