Northampton General Hospital maintains reduction in perinatal deaths for fifth consecutive year

Northampton General Hospital are proud to be part of a UK wide reduction in the loss of a baby in pregnancy, during labour and the first 28 days following birth.

The Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audit and Confidential Enquiries (MBRRACE) collaboration has released the Maternal Newborn and Infant Clinical Outcome Review Programme perinatal mortality report for 2017.

The report, which uses data submitted by the bereavement midwives, shows that since 2013 NGH have maintained a yearly reduction in babies who are stillborn, have a neonatal death or an extended perinatal death. This reduction aligns with a national 18% fall in mortality rates in babies delivered at term since 2013.

As well as this reduction, the report also demonstrates that rate of deaths of babies born at NGH who are born after 24 weeks gestation is 3.1 per 1000 births, compared to a UK wide rate of 5.9 births per 1000 births.

Emma Perkin, Matron for Maternity Safety and Quality Improvement, discussed what these results mean for families in Northampton: “Whilst any death of a baby is tragic these results shows marked improvements since 2013 and the reduction in deaths reflect the ongoing work of the maternity service to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.

“We have worked to introduce a healthy lifestyle midwife, midwife sonographer clinics, education to pregnant women to monitor their baby’s movements and provide information about when and how to get advice if they have any concerns.

“We are also launching new small groups of midwives and maternity support workers to care for women throughout their pregnancy, labour and postnatal period. This is continuity of care case loading, and has been in place with our home birth team for a number of years and provides a measurable improvement on the experiences of women and their babies.”

If you or someone you know is in need of support or advice following the loss of a baby please contact the hospital’s bereavement midwives or SANDS, the stillbirth & neonatal death charity. https://www.sands.org.uk/