24
May 2022
New investigation into spike in newborn baby deaths in Scotland
An investigation is currently underway following a spike in the number of newborn baby deaths in Scotland which was recorded for the second time in six months.
At least 18 babies under four weeks old died in March, a rate of 4.6 for every 1,000 births, which comes after at least 21 died in September, a rate of 4.9 for every 1,000 births.
The average mortality rate among newborns is just above two for every 1,000 births.
The spikes in September and March are the first to be detected since monitoring began in July 2017.
Dr Sarah Stock, expert in foetal and maternal medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said “I think the numbers are really troubling, and I don’t think we know the reasons why yet.
“What we do know it’s not neonatal Covid – the rates of Covid-19 infection in babies are very low and deaths from Covid are thankfully very, very small so this isn’t Covid affecting babies.”
Dr Stock said it was known the virus can affect pregnant women and cause complications, like early birth, so further investigation was needed, but she stressed that the Covid vaccine, which studies have consistently shown to be safe in pregnancy, was not a factor.
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of 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.
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