Stillbirth statistics

England and Wales 2011 [1]

• In 2011, the number of stillbirths increased slightly to 3,811 from 3,714 in 2010 (a rise of 2.6%).
• The stillbirth rate also rose slightly to 5.2 per 1,000 total births from 5.1 in 2010.

Scotland 2010 [2]

•   The 2010 data for Scotland shows 291 stillbirths and a stillbirth rate of 4.93 per 1,000 births. This is particularly encouraging, as the stillbirth rate has, for the first time, fallen below 5 per 1,000 births.
•   The stillbirth rate for Scotland was 4.6 per 1,000 singleton births and 13.8 per 1,000 multiple births in 2010.
•   The main cause of singleton stillbirths remains the ‘unexplained’ obstetric kind (64%).
•   Other major reasons for a stillbirth include antepartum haemorrhage (14%) and congenital anomaly (11%).
•   A failure to conduct postmortem examinations may contribute to such a high rate of ‘unexplained’ deaths. Histological examination of the placenta may provide much needed information about the cause of death.
•   Of the 291 stillbirths recorded for 2010, 137 (47.1%) had histological placental dysfunction (HPD) and 62 (21.3%) had intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Sources
1. Office for National Statistics Statistical Bulletin. Births and Deaths in England and Wales, 2011 (Final). Available at: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_283306.pdf (2011, accessed 23 November 2012).
2. Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Scottish perinatal and infant mortality and morbidity report 2010. Available at: www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/programmes/reproductive,_maternal__child/programme_resources/spimmr_2010.aspx (2010, accessed 25 November 2012).

In this section

Employment
Lifestyle statistics
Miscarriage statistics
Pre-eclampsia statistics
Premature birth statistics
Stillbirth statistics
Toxoplasmosis statistics