Today MBRRACE-UK have published their Perinatal Mortality Surveillance report. MBRRACE-UK investigates deaths of women, birthing people and babies in the UK during or shortly after pregnancy. Today’s report reviews the deaths of babies born in the UK between 1st January and 31st December 2024.
As always, our thoughts are with the families of the babies who died.
Key information
The report found that:
- The number babies that died shortly before, during or soon after birth has fallen between 2013 and 2024 across all four devolved nations
- Babies born to families living in the most deprived areas of the UK are still more likely to experience a stillbirth or neonatal death
- Though there have been improvements, babies born preterm (before 37 weeks’ gestation) are most at risk of stillbirth or neonatal death
- Black and Asian babies continue to experience higher mortality rates than white babies
- The main causes of stillbirth and neonatal death, including congenital abnormalities, placental problems, and unknown causes, remain the same as in previous years
The report recommends a number of actions, repeated from previous reports:
- Continue to develop and implement targeted action, at national and organisational levels, to support the reduction of direct and indirect health inequalities
- Ensure neonatal intensive care capacity and resources reflect the increase in the numbers of babies born before 24 weeks’ gestational age
- Support the review of all stillbirths and neonatal deaths across the UK to identify learning and common themes
- Ensure healthcare providers use the BAPM Perinatal Optimisation Pathway to improve preterm outcomes.
Baby Lifeline’s Work
At Baby Lifeline, we work directly with health professionals in areas shown to reduce inequalities and improve safety and care. We have seen improvements being made in NHS maternity services that have accessed our training, which is centred on the main reported causes of harm and death in maternity services.
One of our courses focuses on preterm birth prediction, prevention, and management. Baby Lifeline Training‘s Preterm Matters Course Director and Consultant Obstetrician, Nigel Simpson, has says:
“Babies born too early remain at greatest risk of stillbirth and neonatal death. There is still more that women and their maternity services can do to reduce that risk and to improve the care at-risk women receive by strengthening the services that support them.
Through our training, we have worked with health professionals to improve earlier detection and support for mums and their babies who are at greater risk of preterm birth, and have seen improvements being made in these services to make care better for those under their care.”
Judy Ledger, CEO & Founder of Baby Lifeline says:
“This report shows progress, reflecting the significant effort taking place across the country to improve care. But it also makes clear that too many families are still suffering the heartbreak of losing a baby.
Every one of these deaths is devastating, and too many could be prevented through safer, more equitable care. We cannot accept a system where some babies are at greater risk simply because of their ethnicity or where they live.
Baby Lifeline is committed to making sure that every pregnant woman, birthing person and baby has the best and safest care possible.”