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Stillbirth rate 'unacceptably high' in Wales say AMs | Stillbirth rate 'unacceptably high' in Wales say AMs |
(35 minutes later) | |
An "unacceptably" high number of stillborn babies in Wales could be reduced through a series of small changes, an assembly committee says. | An "unacceptably" high number of stillborn babies in Wales could be reduced through a series of small changes, an assembly committee says. |
Around 180 babies are stillborn each year - a figure AMs said is too high given medical advances. | Around 180 babies are stillborn each year - a figure AMs said is too high given medical advances. |
They say 60 babies' lives a year could be saved if procedures are tightened. | They say 60 babies' lives a year could be saved if procedures are tightened. |
The health committee wants professionals to be trained in talking to grieving parents about consenting to post-mortem examinations. | The health committee wants professionals to be trained in talking to grieving parents about consenting to post-mortem examinations. |
Stillbirth is when a baby dies after 24 weeks of pregnancy but before birth. | |
The cause of death is unknown in almost half of cases. | The cause of death is unknown in almost half of cases. |
The stillbirth rate in Wales has been between 4.2 and 5 per 1,000 births since the early 1990s. | The stillbirth rate in Wales has been between 4.2 and 5 per 1,000 births since the early 1990s. |
It is a similar rate across the UK, which is higher than any other European country. | It is a similar rate across the UK, which is higher than any other European country. |
The assembly's cross-party health committee said matching the rate in Scandinavia would save at least 64 babies a year. | The assembly's cross-party health committee said matching the rate in Scandinavia would save at least 64 babies a year. |
AMs held a one-day inquiry into stillbirths - the most common cause of child death in Wales - which heard from doctors, midwives, bereaved parents and campaigners. | AMs held a one-day inquiry into stillbirths - the most common cause of child death in Wales - which heard from doctors, midwives, bereaved parents and campaigners. |
A report recommends a series of small changes that could reduce the rate. | A report recommends a series of small changes that could reduce the rate. |
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Committee chairman Mark Drakeford said: "It is Wales's most common form of child mortality. And yet we do not talk about it. | Committee chairman Mark Drakeford said: "It is Wales's most common form of child mortality. And yet we do not talk about it. |
This is a big issue in Wales and a big issue in the UK. The UK ranks 33rd worst out of 35 European countries when it comes to stillbirth rates. | |
It is the biggest cause of infant mortality there is - more common than cot deaths, 40 times more common than road accidents and 80 times more common that childhood meningitis. | |
In general child death rates have decreased in the UK over the last few years but the rate of stillbirth has remained, as the committee sys, stubbornly high. | |
That's why the health committee wanted to look at this issue to simply ask the question why are those rates so high and could more be done to prevent the deaths? | |
"As a committee we are in no doubt that the current rate of stillbirths in Wales is unacceptable." | "As a committee we are in no doubt that the current rate of stillbirths in Wales is unacceptable." |
The committee said the Welsh government should publish a plan of how it will tackle the low rate of post-mortem examinations carried out on stillborn babies. | The committee said the Welsh government should publish a plan of how it will tackle the low rate of post-mortem examinations carried out on stillborn babies. |
The plan should include details of how staff will be trained so they can raise such a difficult issue with grieving parents. | The plan should include details of how staff will be trained so they can raise such a difficult issue with grieving parents. |
In 2011, only 40.5% of parents consented to a post-mortem. | In 2011, only 40.5% of parents consented to a post-mortem. |
AMs were told the low uptake was partly due to a shortage of specialist pathologists. Wales has the equivalent of 1.2 fulltime perinatal pathologists. | AMs were told the low uptake was partly due to a shortage of specialist pathologists. Wales has the equivalent of 1.2 fulltime perinatal pathologists. |
Holding a post-mortem could delay a stillborn baby's funeral by at least two weeks, with a further six to eight-week wait for the results. But for adults, the process is completed in about 24 hours, the report says. | Holding a post-mortem could delay a stillborn baby's funeral by at least two weeks, with a further six to eight-week wait for the results. But for adults, the process is completed in about 24 hours, the report says. |