Across the UK, women who become critically unwell during or after pregnancy should receive consistent, high-quality care — wherever they are. Yet in practice, standards of care can vary widely vary widely between hospitals and regions.
The Maternal Critical Care Alliance (MCCA) is working to close that gap by sharing evidence-based guidance, practical tools, and professional resources that support best practice in every setting.
Why guidelines matter
Maternal critical illness sits at the intersection of multiple disciplines — maternity, anaesthesia, intensive care, neonatology, pre-hospital and emergency care, and other non-maternity medical specialities. Without clear, shared standards and education, care can become fragmented.
Our aim is to help teams:
- Recognise and respond to maternal deterioration quickly and confidently
- Apply consistent approaches to escalation, transfer, and multidisciplinary review
- Improve continuity between maternity and critical care units
- Improve the experience of women and families during maternal critical illness
- Strengthen safety, governance, and learning across organisations
- Ensure psychological and bereavement support is available for families and staff
What’s available
Our growing library of Best Practice Guidelines and toolkits brings together national standards, peer-reviewed evidence, and the collective expertise of MCCA members and partner organisations in one place for ease of access.
Resources include:
- Maternal Critical Care Pathway Toolkit – guidance on referral, admission, and follow-up
- Early Recognition and Escalation Framework – supporting use of Maternity Early Warning Scores and escalation triggers
- Post-ICU Follow-Up and Recovery Guide – practical recommendations for continuity of care and psychological support
- Communication and Family Liaison Tools – templates and guidance to support compassionate communication in crisis situations
- Audit and Data Collection Frameworks – enabling consistent reporting and supporting local quality improvement
All materials are freely downloadable for NHS and academic use and can be adapted to local governance processes.
Developed by clinicians, for clinicians
Our ambition is that all future resources developed by the MCCA will have multidisciplinary input, be co-produced with women and families and be reviewed and endorsed by relevant partner organisations prior to publication.
Our resources will be designed to complement existing national and international guidance, including those published by MBRRACE-UK, NHSE, DHSC, and national colleges/societies. We provide links to some of these third-party documents to bring evidence together in one place.
How to use these resources
- Download and share within your Trust or Network
- Incorporate into local policy, training, and audit cycles
- Feed back on what works and where further support is needed
MCCA aims to keep these materials live and evolving, reflecting ongoing learning and feedback from across the maternal critical care community.
Collaborate with us
We welcome collaboration from clinicians, educators, researchers and the wider maternity community who wish to share data, co-author resources, or contribute to guideline development.
Visit our Best Practice & Policy section to explore the current toolkit library, download PDFs, or get in touch about contributing.
Together, we can create a more connected, confident, and consistent approach to maternal critical care.
