NHS England publishes new guidance to prevent stillbirths

NHS England has published new guidance as part of a drive to halve the rate of still births across the country.

The rate of stillbirths has dropped to its lowest in 20 years, but still ranks poorly when compared to nations with the lowest rates.

Currently one in every 200 babies is stillborn in the UK, which represents around 3,000 stillbirths each year. Thew new drive from NHS England hopes to half the rate of still births by 2030 and reduce the 25 per cent variation in stillbirth rates across England, which could potentially help 1,500 families to avoid the tragedy of a stillbirth every year.

The ‘Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle’ is the first official guidance specifically aimed at reducing stillbirths and will support commissioners, providers and professionals in making care safer for women and babies.

The Bundle was developed by NHS England working with organisations including the Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, British Maternal and the Fetal Medicine Society, and brings together key elements of care based on best available evidence and practice.

Additionally, an advice leaflet will be provided to all women by their 24 week of pregnancy, which will contain clear information consistent with national guidelines.

Four key elements outlined in the guidance are: reducing smoking in pregnancy; enhancing detection of fetal growth restriction; improving awareness of the importance of fetal movement; and improving fetal monitoring during labour.

Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, said: “For over 650,000 families who’ll have a baby in the NHS this year, it’ll be one of their happiest and most moving experiences. NHS maternity care is now the safest it’s ever been, and most mums say they’re cared for brilliantly. But that makes it all the more tragic and heart wrenching when for a small number of families something goes terribly wrong.

“As the Sunday Times has rightly argued, we could cut the chances of this happening if all pregnant mums were encouraged to quit smoking, if proper monitoring takes place during pregnancy, and if maternity providers listen carefully when pregnant women report worries about their baby’s movements. That’s what this new NHS ‘care bundle’ – developed by obstetricians, midwives, and parents – now recommends as the best standard of care everywhere. It brings together evidence-based best practice to support midwives and doctors and is a key step in driving forward safer care as set out in the recently published national Maternity Review.”