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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/28/four-out-of-five-full-term-baby-deaths-uk-could-be-prevented-study
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| Four out of five full-term baby deaths in UK could be prevented, says study | Four out of five full-term baby deaths in UK could be prevented, says study |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| About 80% of full-term stillbirths and deaths of babies during childbirth could be prevented if mothers received better care and UK maternity units were better staffed, according to a report by doctors, academics and health charities. | About 80% of full-term stillbirths and deaths of babies during childbirth could be prevented if mothers received better care and UK maternity units were better staffed, according to a report by doctors, academics and health charities. |
| About 180 babies died in 2015 as a result of midwife shortages, mistakes by maternity staff and delivery delays out of a total of 225 full-term stillbirths and deaths during childbirth, according to the study. | About 180 babies died in 2015 as a result of midwife shortages, mistakes by maternity staff and delivery delays out of a total of 225 full-term stillbirths and deaths during childbirth, according to the study. |
| The findings by the MBRRACE-UK coalition have prompted concern that some babies are dying because midwives are too busy to provide proper care in maternity units that are often under intense pressure. | The findings by the MBRRACE-UK coalition have prompted concern that some babies are dying because midwives are too busy to provide proper care in maternity units that are often under intense pressure. |
| The group, led by experts at Oxford and Leicester universities, based their findings on an in-depth analysis of what went wrong with 78 of the 225 deaths in 2015. | The group, led by experts at Oxford and Leicester universities, based their findings on an in-depth analysis of what went wrong with 78 of the 225 deaths in 2015. |
| Too often maternity staff delay a decision to get a baby out or fail to properly monitor the baby’s heartbeat, they found. One in four such deaths occurs because a maternity unit, especially a delivery suite, is struggling with “staffing and capacity problems”, the research shows. | Too often maternity staff delay a decision to get a baby out or fail to properly monitor the baby’s heartbeat, they found. One in four such deaths occurs because a maternity unit, especially a delivery suite, is struggling with “staffing and capacity problems”, the research shows. |
| “The main issues identified were: care before labour was established, including induction; monitoring during labour; delay in expediting birth; heavy workloads of the units; a lack of joint obstetric and neonatal inputs into bereavement care; and a lack of rigour in the local review of the deaths,” said Elizabeth Draper, a professor of perinatal and paediatric epidemiology at Leicester University. | “The main issues identified were: care before labour was established, including induction; monitoring during labour; delay in expediting birth; heavy workloads of the units; a lack of joint obstetric and neonatal inputs into bereavement care; and a lack of rigour in the local review of the deaths,” said Elizabeth Draper, a professor of perinatal and paediatric epidemiology at Leicester University. |
| The report found that although improved care has more than halved the number of such deaths since 1993, babies were still dying unnecessarily because of: | The report found that although improved care has more than halved the number of such deaths since 1993, babies were still dying unnecessarily because of: |
| Delays by staff in inducing one in three babies who were due to be induced. “There was a significant delay in both the decision to expedite the birth and in actually achieving birth in approximately a third of the deaths reviewed,” the report said. | Delays by staff in inducing one in three babies who were due to be induced. “There was a significant delay in both the decision to expedite the birth and in actually achieving birth in approximately a third of the deaths reviewed,” the report said. |
| A lack “service capacity” in maternity units proved a significant factor in more than a fifth of cases. | A lack “service capacity” in maternity units proved a significant factor in more than a fifth of cases. |
| Staff failing to recognise that the mother-to-be was in transition to the active (second) phase of labour and therefore not starting proper monitoring of the baby’s health. This occurred in one in eight of the 78 cases studied. | Staff failing to recognise that the mother-to-be was in transition to the active (second) phase of labour and therefore not starting proper monitoring of the baby’s health. This occurred in one in eight of the 78 cases studied. |
| “The panel consensus was that in nearly 80% of deaths improvements in care were identified which may have made a difference to the outcome for the baby,” MBBRACE-UK concluded. | “The panel consensus was that in nearly 80% of deaths improvements in care were identified which may have made a difference to the outcome for the baby,” MBBRACE-UK concluded. |
| Although such deaths are happening less often, the experts said a growing number of babies were being born to women “who have risk factors associated with an increased risk of perinatal death”, including being very overweight. Obesity and the increasing trend towards older motherhood are making childbirth more complex for maternity staff. | Although such deaths are happening less often, the experts said a growing number of babies were being born to women “who have risk factors associated with an increased risk of perinatal death”, including being very overweight. Obesity and the increasing trend towards older motherhood are making childbirth more complex for maternity staff. |
| “Cases of stillbirth and neonatal death have a devastating emotional impact on parents. The government needs to address, as a matter of urgency, the shortage of midwives and obstetricians, to make sure that women in labour are properly cared for. Too often midwives are overworked and unable to give women the attention they need,” said Maureen Treadwell, a research officer with the Birth Trauma Association, which helps women who develop post-traumatic stress disorder after childbirth. | “Cases of stillbirth and neonatal death have a devastating emotional impact on parents. The government needs to address, as a matter of urgency, the shortage of midwives and obstetricians, to make sure that women in labour are properly cared for. Too often midwives are overworked and unable to give women the attention they need,” said Maureen Treadwell, a research officer with the Birth Trauma Association, which helps women who develop post-traumatic stress disorder after childbirth. |
| In a speech on Tuesday on maternity safety, Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, will announce plans to ensure that when a baby dies or suffers life-changing injuries at birth in England, there will be an independent investigation into what happened. | In a speech on Tuesday on maternity safety, Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, will announce plans to ensure that when a baby dies or suffers life-changing injuries at birth in England, there will be an independent investigation into what happened. |
| The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch, which Hunt set up this year to improve patient safety across the NHS, will conduct the inquiries. Coroners may also be able to look into full-term stillbirths under Hunt’s plan. | The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch, which Hunt set up this year to improve patient safety across the NHS, will conduct the inquiries. Coroners may also be able to look into full-term stillbirths under Hunt’s plan. |
| Hunt is expected to say: “The tragic death or life-changing injury of a baby is something no parent should have to bear, but one thing that can help in these agonising circumstances is getting honest answers quickly from an independent investigator. Too many families have been denied this in the past, adding unnecessarily to the pain of their loss.” | Hunt is expected to say: “The tragic death or life-changing injury of a baby is something no parent should have to bear, but one thing that can help in these agonising circumstances is getting honest answers quickly from an independent investigator. Too many families have been denied this in the past, adding unnecessarily to the pain of their loss.” |
| Charities welcomed the move. Elizabeth Duff, a senior policy adviser at the parenting charity NCT, said: “It’s shocking and heartbreaking that in nearly 80% of cases, improvements in care may have made a difference to the outcome for the baby. Staffing shortages mean midwives are under enormous pressure which can lead to situations that have a devastating impact on families.” | Charities welcomed the move. Elizabeth Duff, a senior policy adviser at the parenting charity NCT, said: “It’s shocking and heartbreaking that in nearly 80% of cases, improvements in care may have made a difference to the outcome for the baby. Staffing shortages mean midwives are under enormous pressure which can lead to situations that have a devastating impact on families.” |
| Dr David Evans, a consultant neonatologist and a vice-president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “Neonatal units have a strict set of service standards in place in order to protect their vulnerable patients but ... many units fail to meet these standards due to workforce pressures.” | Dr David Evans, a consultant neonatologist and a vice-president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “Neonatal units have a strict set of service standards in place in order to protect their vulnerable patients but ... many units fail to meet these standards due to workforce pressures.” |
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