Continuing inequalities contribute to wide variation in rates of stillbirths and neonatal deaths across UK

The report highlights persistent inequalities for mothers and babies from ethnic minorities and areas of deprivation which contribute to the wide variation in rates of stillbirths and neonatal deaths across the UK. The State of the Nation report is a concise overview of perinatal deaths in the UK focusing on five quality of care indicators: perinatal mortality rates in the UK; mortality rates for trusts and health boards; mortality rates by gestational age; mortality rates by ethnicity and deprivation; and a description of the causes of perinatal deaths in the UK. There were 1.53 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020, which increased to 1.65 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021. Babies born pre-term (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) accounted for 75% of stillbirths and 73% of neonatal deaths;• Inequalities in mortality rates by deprivation levels remain. For neonatal deaths, the most common cause is congenital anomalies, which contribute to one third of all neonatal deaths.