Released on: 21 March 2016
In response to NHS England’s new guidance to reduce stillbirths, Elizabeth Duff, Senior Policy Adviser, NCT, said:
“We welcome this initiative to reduce stillbirths in England and the government’s recent announcement of £4m towards this end. However, rates of stillbirths are twice as high in the most deprived areas of the country¹ and this guidance fails to address health inequalities which increase the risk of infant mortalities.
“Under all circumstances, identifying pregnancies that are at risk is the key to reducing stillbirths. This should be addressed by providing more women with continuity of carer, which helps to improve the detection of restricted foetal growth and reduce the number of babies' deaths.”
¹ MBRRACE-UK collaboration (2015) Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report UK Perinatal Deaths for births from January to December 2013
https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/downloads/files/mbrrace-uk/reports/MBRRACE-UK%20Perinatal%20Surveillance%20Report%202013.pdf