Rise in premature babies stalls progress of decreasing infant mortality rate

Gabriella Swerling
·2 min read
The ONS also found that in 2019, the neonatal mortality rate (aged under 28 days) was 2.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in England and Wales - rate which has remained the same since 2017.   - RyanJLane /E+ 
The ONS also found that in 2019, the neonatal mortality rate (aged under 28 days) was 2.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in England and Wales - rate which has remained the same since 2017. - RyanJLane /E+

Progress on reducing the infant mortality rate has stalled due to an increase in babies born prematurely, government statistics have revealed.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that in 2019, there were 2,390 deaths of infants under the age of one, and 907 deaths of children aged one to 15 in England and Wales.

These mark the lowest numbers of infant and child deaths since records began in 1980.

It also found that in 2019, the infant mortality rate was 3.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in England and Wales; while this follows a general decline since 1980 over the last five years the infant mortality rate has remained fairly stable.

Researchers said that the increase in the proportion of live births under 24 weeks completed gestation has contributed to an increase in the neonatal mortality rate from 2.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 2.8 in 2019.

Gemma Quayle, Vital Statistics Outputs Branch at the ONS, said: “Despite a decrease in the number of infant deaths in England and Wales in 2019, over the last five years the infant mortality rate has remained fairly stable. And for the third consecutive year, the neonatal mortality rate has not changed.

“Infant mortality is affected by a combination of risk factors such as gestation length and mother’s age, which can have an impact on the health of mothers and their babies.

“Today’s analysis shows that a continued increase in babies born under 24 weeks in 2019 has continued to affect the overall neonatal and infant mortality rates.”

The ONS also found that in 2019, the neonatal mortality rate (aged under 28 days) was 2.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in England and Wales; this rate has remained the same since 2017.

Ms Quayle added: “Understanding how these factors affect trends in infant mortality is important for policymakers and health practitioners to target interventions and monitor progress against the government ambition in England to halve 2010’s stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates by 2025.”