Maternity Care Survey
The Maternity Care Survey asks women about their most recent NHS maternity care experience. It covers the maternity care journey from antenatal care through to care at home after the birth.
Introduction
Through the Maternity Care Survey, we want to hear from women across Scotland about their maternity care experiences. The survey responses inform local services, including NHS Boards, about experiences of maternity care, highlighting where things are going well and where they could be improved.
The survey and sampling approach for each survey has been developed by the Scottish Government in consultation with a range of stakeholders including NHS Boards. Each survey involves a random sample of women who have recently given birth being invited to complete a questionnaire. The survey can be completed online; via a paper questionnaire and returned by post or by phone.
2025
Fieldwork for the Maternity Care Survey 2025 is underway and the survey will remain open until the 16th January 2026. During this period, selected women will receive a survey asking about their experiences with maternity care services in Scotland.
If you have received a survey, please follow the instructions on the invite letter. The Scottish Maternity Care Survey has already helped shape improvements in care for mothers and babies in Scotland, through a plan called ‘The Best Start’. The 2025 survey will help us to check how well this plan is working. Your feedback helps inform service improvement, leading to better outcomes for future mothers and babies.
To learn more about how your data will be used, please read the survey’s Privacy Notice.
For websites and phone numbers of organisations which may be helpful to survey participants, see our sources of support page.
2018
The survey was sent to a random sample of women who gave birth in Scotland in February or March 2018. A total of 5,064 eligible women were sampled and 2,049 were returned, giving a response rate of 40 per cent. More information on the survey design, response rates and methodology can be found in the Technical Report.
2015
A total of 5,025 questionnaires were sent out and 2,036 were returned, giving a response rate of 41 per cent. More information on the survey design, response rates and methodology can be found in the Technical Report.
2013
A total of 4,964 questionnaires were sent out and 2,366 were returned, giving a response rate of 48 per cent. More information on the survey design, response rates and methodology can be found in the National Report.