The AFFIRM study

Scotland’s stillbirth rate reaches record low

Stillbirths and infant deaths are at their lowest ever recorded level in Scotland, according to new statistics.

In 2012, the stillbirth rate fell to 4.7 per 1,000 births, the lowest in the UK, while infant deaths fell to 3.7 per 1,000, the Scottish Government said.

The rate of perinatal deaths, which refers to stillbirths and deaths in the first week of life, was 6.5 per 1,000. Stillbirth rates were as high as about 12 per 1,000 in 1974.

Maternal obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, advanced maternal age, substance misuse and lack of maternal employment were all associated with an increased probability of foetal and infant deaths, according to the government.

View this article in the Scotsman