Birmingham infant mortality ‘not openly discussed’

A charity has said infant mortality is not being ‘openly discussed’ among some communities, as the city attempts to tackle a long-standing problem.

For the last ten years, Birmingham has had one of the highest rates of infant mortality in England.

The city council has started a taskforce in an attempt to halve the number of deaths, rates being highest in deprived areas and among Pakistani, Black and Bangladeshi heritage families.

Shabana Qureshi, women wellbeing manager for the Ashiana Community Project, said that many of the women she works with “don’t know how to ask the right questions” and so are “not informed” about issues.

She went on to say that many people in the communities they work with have low education levels and are more likely to suffer with maternity health issues, but find it difficult to access services.

She said “Infant morality is not something that is discussed openly. A lot of women live within extended families and are sometimes not aware of the risks, they live with these conditions and health inequalities.”

Paulette Hamilton, cabinet member for health and social care, said “More work is also needed with women from ethnic minorities in relation to drug and substance misuse and obesity while maintaining good mental health, physical health and using stress reduction strategies before becoming pregnant to increase their chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.”

Clea Harmer of the stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands, said “A whole range of complex risk factors relating to maternal healthy, deprivation and other inequalities influence infant mortality rates, but in order to understand where there are gaps in the quality of care for mothers and their babies, it is vital that the local health service reviews the care mother and baby received when things go wrong.”

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events. Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Freephone : 0800 304 7382