The number of stillbirths and deaths after birth is still far too high and claims around 17 babies every day in the UK.
Every year in the UK almost 4,000 babies are stillborn and another 2,500 die within four weeks of their birth.
Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, says many of the deaths could be avoided by better antenatal care and more funding for research. Part of the problem, says Sands, is a shortage of neonatal nurses and only 14 out of 50 intensive care units in the UK providing minimum standards of one-to-one care for sick and premature babies.
The Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy (CESDI), which was the last official enquiry, concluded that nearly half of all unexplained stillbirths could possibly have been avoided with better antenatal care.
Sands also said that there was still a taboo surrounding the death of a baby and they found that mums-to-be are not being made aware of the risks of stillbirth, with 42% of 348 mothers questioned not receiving any information on stillbirth from their midwife, even though many cases occur in low risk pregnancies.
Chief Executive Neal Long said: "For too long these deaths have been ignored and yet here is compelling evidence to suggest that many babies' lives could be saved with better antenatal care, increased funding for maternity services, more midwives and increased funding for research.
A Sands survey of 270 bereaved parents found that 48% of parentsdid not feel that everything possible was done to save their baby's life, they felt rushed through their antenatal appointments and 49% said they did not completely confident about the way in which they were cared for in the lead up to their baby's death.
Andy Cole, of Bliss, the premature baby charity, called for more funding for medical research and neonatal staff and said more specialist nurses were needed to provide the one-to-one nursing in intensive care required to help vulnerable babies to survive, and then have the best possible quality of life.
Louise Silverton, of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "It is crucial to ensure that care is centred on the woman and her baby, and that midwives have enough time to provide expert advice and information."
The Department of Health in England said it was committed to improving outcomes for both mother and baby.
"We have made some progress on outcomes. However, every avoidable stillbirth or neonatal death is one too many."
Ministers have set a target for all women to have access to needs assessment by the 12th week of pregnancy. It is hoped this will allow for individually tailored care, which could help cut stillbirths.
March 2009
StillBirth & Cot Death
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