London - Inducing the delivery of small babies before they reach full-term could reduce the number of stillbirths, according to experts at Cambridge University.
Britain has one of the worst rates of stillbirths in Europe, which ranks it 33rd in a list of 35.
Latest figures show 3 286 babies were stillborn in the UK in 2013 – about one in every 240 births. While many of these are linked to complications or a mother’s health problems, such as diabetes, about half are thought to be because the baby is too small.
Professor Gordon Smith, author of the study published in The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist journal, said better scanning technology is needed to identify small babies. “We know that careful monitoring of small babies using ultrasound helps reduce the risk of death,” he wrote. “However, routine care currently identifies less than a quarter of small babies prior to delivery, so better ways of screening are urgently required.”
Midwives welcomed the review – but said if they are given more time with pregnant women they may be able to spot problems earlier.
Louise Silverton, of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “We are concerned that the amount of time midwives have to do assessments is being squeezed more and more.”
Daily Mail