Stillbirths and neonatal deaths vary significantly across UK, figures show

The incidence of stillbirth and neonatal death varies considerably among different NHS trusts and health boards across the United Kingdom, warns a report on all births in 2014 that calls for any organisations with higher than average rates to carry out a local review.1

The report found a small decrease in the number of stillbirths in the UK as a whole in 2014 from the previous year (3252, down from 3286). Neonatal deaths also decreased slightly (1381, down from 1436). This gave a crude extended perinatal mortality rate of 5.92 per 1000 live births, comprising 4.16 stillbirths per 1000 total births and 1.77 neonatal deaths per 1000 live births.

“These mortality rates are still higher than those reported by the best performing …