‘Cost of living crisis’ contributing to stillbirths, research finds

The cost of living squeeze is a significant factor in some stillbirths, according to case reviews carried out in one of England’s most deprived areas.

The review was undertaken in Bradford last year, and concluded: ”the current financial crisis is impacting on the ability of some women to attend essential antenatal appointments”. Missing these appointments was a factor in a range of maternity safety events, including stillbirths, it said. 

The researchers are now calling for new national funding to help ensure expectant parents do not miss important appointments because they cannot afford to attend.

The research findings include:

• ‘Did not attend’ rates increased due to lack of funds for transport to antenatal appointments;
• “Lack of credit on phones prevented communication between women and maternity services, for example, making [them] unable to rearrange scans or appointments”;
• Wide spread incidence of “digital poverty, [for example] a lady with type 1 [diabetes] was unable to monitor her glycaemic control over night due to only having one phone charger in the house”; and
• “Families with babies on a neonatal unit going without food in order to finance transport to and from the unit.”

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Source: HSJ, 25 August 2023