Unfortunately, baby loss can occur at any point during pregnancy, during labour, in the early neonatal period or in infancy. Whichever time the loss occurs, it is a traumatic experience for all those involved. The lives of those affected change forever.
According to Tommy’s the leading baby loss charity, half of adults in the UK said that they, or someone they know, had experienced pregnancy or baby loss in their lifetime. Every year in the UK, an estimated 250,000 pregnancies end through miscarriage before 24 weeks – a loss sadly experienced by about one in five women.
Tommy’s also say that:
- In 2022, around 1 in every 250 pregnancies ended in stillbirth. Approximately 8 babies were stillborn every day.
- In 2022 there were 2,680 stillbirths in the UK (2,433 in England & Wales ; 176 in Scotland; 71 Northern Ireland).
- Using the data available, it is estimated that there were between 110,426 and 156,089 miscarriages in England and Wales in 2022. However, this is likely to be an underestimate.
- Each year in the UK, nearly 12,000 women have ectopic pregnancies diagnosed.
- The neonatal mortality rate (death aged under 28 days) was 2.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in England and Wales in 2022. This is an increase from 2.7 deaths per 1,000 births in 2021.
- The overall percentage of premature live births in England and Wales was 7.9% in 2022. This is an increase from 7.5% in 2021.
Studies suggest that the cause for more than half of all still birth is unexplained. However, the same studies also show that; 17% were caused by ascending infection, 12% were caused by placenta factors including placental abruption, - 5% were caused by congenital abnormality, 2% were caused by fetal growth restriction and 2% were caused by complications with twins.
Leanne Devine, an Associate Solicitor at Patient Claim Line’s Birth Injury Unit, said: “Although the true statistics are unknown, the scale of baby loss within the UK is clearly significant, with many people facing the loss privately.
“Sometimes the loss is preventable and at Patient Claim Line we have first-hand experience of helping families to come to terms with that grief and understand the reasons why the loss occurred.”
Baby Loss Targets
NHS England had proposed a goal to halve rates of stillbirths and neonatal mortality (deaths at age 0–27 days) by 2025. Although the stillbirth rate fell by more than 20% between 2010 and 2020, more recent figures for 2022 show that the rate has since increased and a 50% reduction by 2025 was unlikely to be met (House of Commons Library).
What is being done to prevent baby loss?
The Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit, formed in 2022, is focused on achieving policy change so that fewer babies die. This report brings together data from different sources for the first time, to show the extent of pregnancy and baby loss across the UK. The Unit outlines recent trends and evidence, as well as gaps in current information, the report sets out areas where further work is required to reduce rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth and neonatal death. In their Progress Report Summary 2023, it is confirmed that in 2021-22, nearly 1/5 of stillbirths were found to be potentially avoidable if better care had been provided.
Baby Loss Certificates in the UK
Baby loss certificates were first launched in February 2024 but were only available to those who had experienced a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks’ gestation, since September 2018.
From 9th October 2024, this voluntary service will be extended with no backdate allowing all parents who have suffered a historic pregnancy loss or a future loss to apply.
Up until 9th October 2024, parents are only required to register the death of a baby if that baby died on or after 24 weeks gestation, or if the baby showed signs of life after it was born. In these cases, it may be possible to apply for a death certificate.
For parents and families who have lost a baby, or babies before 24 weeks pregnancy, there is often no formal document to confirm the child was ever there. This often adds to the heartbreak for those families, as the loss and their baby was and is very real.
Loss of a baby after 24 weeks gestation is called a stillbirth. By law, stillborn babies have to be formally registered.
Additional commentary and legal insight provided by medical negligence Solicitor Sinead Connolly person
What support is there for families who have suffered from baby loss?
Across the UK there are a range of charities that are there to offer to support for families who have suffered baby loss, these include:
*This is not an exhaustive list of baby loss charities and there and many more than can offer you the support you need
Legal Support for families who have suffered avoidable stillbirth
If you have been affected by a neonatal death and think this may have been preventable stillbirth, you may be able to make a birth injury claim.
Our expert birth injury team at Patient Claim Line is here to help, contact us today.