University of Leicester team finds more stillbirths in deprived areas

Research suggests there are higher rates of stillbirth and neonatal death for those living in deprived areas and minority ethnic groups.

A report from a team at the University of Leicester shows that while overall stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates have reduced, inequalities persist.

MBRRACE-UK, the team that carried out the research, said it had looked at outcomes for specific ethnic groups. The report showed the stillbirth rate in the UK had reduced by 21% over the period 2013 to 2020 to 3.33 per 1,000 total births. Over the same period the neonatal mortality rate has reduced by 17% to 1.53 per 1,000 births.

However despite these improvements, the authors found inequalities persisted, with those living in the most deprived areas, minority ethnic groups and twin pregnancies all experiencing higher rates of stillbirth.

Elizabeth Draper, professor of perinatal and paediatric epidemiology at the university, said: "In this report we have carried out a deeper dive into the impact of deprivation and ethnicity on stillbirth and neonatal death rates.

"For the first time, we report on outcomes for babies of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean and Black African, rather than reporting on broader Asian and black ethnic groups, who have diverse backgrounds, culture and experiences.

"This additional information will help in the targeting of intervention and support programmes to try to reduce stillbirth and neonatal death."

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Source: BBC News, 14 October 2022