Baby loss charities Sands and Tommy’s have called for national maternity targets to cut stillbirth, neonatal death and preterm birth in England by 2035, to align with the forthcoming NHS England 10-Year Plan and to include goals to tackle inequalities in pregnancy and baby loss.
Research from Sands’ Listening Project, external in 2021 found black babies were twice as likely to be stillborn or die as newborns compared to white babies.
The charity estimated 1,616 lives could have been saved between 2019 and 2023 if death rates for black and Asian babies matched those of white babies.
Sands CEO Clea Harmer said: “We are asking for the inequalities in baby loss not just to be reduced, but to be eliminated by 2035.”
Alicia Burnett, founder of Black Baby Loss Awareness Week said: “This must be the moment where awareness turns into action, across government, the NHS, and professional bodies, to end these disparities once and for all.
“This campaign is about saving babies’ lives, improving care, and ensuring no family is failed because of systemic inequality.”
An interim report, external into maternity services in England by Baroness Amos found racism and discrimination contributed to inequalities in maternity and neonatal outcomes.
