MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report 2018 (15 June 2018)

Summary

Fourth MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report providing information on UK perinatal deaths for births from January to December 2016. The report focuses on the surveillance of all late fetal losses (22+0 to 23+6 weeks gestational age), stillbirths and neonatal deaths, with data presented by country, by geographical area, by health care provider and by Local Authority.

Content

What can I learn?

• Mortality rates reduced with 300 fewer baby deaths in 2016 compared with 2013.
• Improved survival for twins: the stillbirth rate has reduced by almost half since 2014 and neonatal deaths have reduced by almost a third during the same period.
• Regional variation is still evident in England.
• Post-mortem examination continues to vary between stillbirths and neonatal deaths.
• Almost all parents of stillborn babies were offered a post-mortem and of these 1 in 2 consented to a post-mortem.
• 8 out of 10 parents of babies who died neonatally were offered a post-mortem and of these 1 in 3 consented to a post-mortem.
• Placental histology was carried out for 9 out of 10 stillbirths but for only 7 out of 10 neonatal deaths which occurred on day 1, or were related to problems during delivery.