Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today, emphasise the urgent need for system-level changes in England and Wales to save more babies’ lives and tackle inequalities in pregnancy and baby loss.
The Sands & Tommy's Joint Policy Unit (JPU) is calling on the Government should set new ambitions for reducing perinatal mortality and preterm births in England – focused on matching the best-performing countries in Europe.
The JPU is also urging governments across the UK to work together to align under these ambitions, to eliminate disparities between the four nations.
In England, the neonatal mortality rate was 1.4 per 1,000 live births in 2024 for babies born at 24 weeks or over. This rate remains unchanged since 2023 and there has been little progress over the past decade to reduce this rate. The data show that the government is highly unlikely to meet its target of 1.0 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births by 2025 for babies born at 24 weeks or over.
Although the target only includes births after 24 weeks’ gestation, lowering rates of extremely preterm birth is vital for reducing the number of babies that die shortly after birth. Over a third (39.7%) of neonatal deaths in 2024 were among babies born before 24 weeks of gestation in England and Wales.
The stillbirth rate in England was 3.8 per 1,000 total births in 2024, a slight decline from 3.9 in 2023 but the same as the 2019 rate, showing little progress over the past five years. The rate is also significantly higher than the 2025 target of 2.6, which the government is now unlikely to meet.
"Today's ONS data add to the evidence that there is an urgent need for the UK governments to set new ambitions to reduce perinatal mortality and preterm births, focused on matching the best-performing countries in Europe.
"The data continue to show stark and persistent inequalities by ethnicity and deprivation. Achieving these ambitions will require a comprehensive policy strategy to improve the quality and safety of maternity and neonatal services as well as a cross-government approach to tackle causes of health inequalities.
"A national assurance assessment of maternity and neonatal care and services in Wales was recently published, and Baroness Amos’s Maternity and Neonatal Investigation in England will publish its findings next month. In England, the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will be responsible for translating the recommendations into a national action plan.
"There is widespread agreement on the need for fundamental changes to improve the safety of maternity and neonatal services and save more babies' lives. We hope the investigation and taskforce recognise the scale of the challenges facing services and design and implement the system-level change that is so desperately needed."- Georgia Stevenson, Head of the Sands and Tommy's Joint Policy Unit
Next Welsh Government must act to reduce baby deaths
Today's data also show there has also been little progress to reduce baby deaths in Wales. The stillbirth rate in 2024 was 4.4 per 1,000 total births, an increase from 4.0 in 2023. The neonatal mortality rate for all gestational ages was 2.7 per 1,000 live births in Wales, with little change over the past four years.
There has been no sustained drop in the number of babies being stillborn in Wales since 2018. There has also been a lack of sustained progress in reducing the rate of babies dying shortly after birth in Wales.
Over 1,000 babies in Wales may have survived if stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates had been the same as the best performing countries in Europe between 2019-2023.
Following this month's elections to the Senedd, Sands is calling on the next Welsh Government to implement clear targets to reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths and prioritise making maternity care safer.
There is also a lack of sustainable support for people who experience pregnancy or baby loss in Wales. Too many bereaved families are not receiving the compassionate care they deserve when their baby dies – both at the time in hospital, and in the weeks and months that follow. Every bereaved parent deserves access to high-quality bereavement and mental health care.
Find out more about our campaigning in Wales and how you can get involved.
Urgent action needed to end inequalities in baby loss
Today's data adds to the body of evidence that urgent action is needed to address persistent inequalities in baby loss.
In the UK, there are persistent inequalities in baby loss by ethnicity. These are particularly striking when you compare rates of baby loss for Black and Asian families with those of white families.
In England and Wales in 2024, the neonatal mortality rates for all gestational ages among Black African and Black Caribbean babies (5.2 and 5.4 per 1,000 live births respectively) were over double the rate among White British babies (2.3 per 1,000 live births), with similar disparities for stillbirth rates.
Sands' End Inequalities in Baby Loss campaign is calling for new targets to eliminate inequalities in baby loss and for action across the Government, NHS and professional bodies to make care safer and more equitable – to save Black and Asian babies’ lives.
Today, a group of bereaved parents from Black, South Asian and mixed ethnic backgrounds will hand in an Open Letter to the Prime Minister today calling for urgent action to end inequalities by ethnicity in baby loss.
"Today's ONS data shows a worrying lack of progress in two areas where Sands is actively campaigning for change.
"In England and Wales in 2024, the neonatal mortality rates among Black African and Black Caribbean babies were over double the rate among White British babies, with similar disparities for stillbirth rates. The maternity and neonatal system is failing too many families. And for Black and Asian families in particular, that failure is too often shaped by systemic racism. We need new national targets to reduce the number of babies that die and to eliminate inequalities in baby loss.
"There has also been little progress to reduce baby deaths in Wales. There has been no sustained drop in the number of babies being stillborn in Wales since 2018. There has also been a lack of sustained progress in reducing the rate of babies dying shortly after birth in Wales. The next Welsh Government must implement clear targets to reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths. They must also prioritise making maternity care safer. We must work together to save more babies’ lives.
"We know today’s news, that so many babies are dying, is very upsetting for anyone touched by pregnancy or baby loss and could bring back many memories and emotions around their own experience. We are here for all those who need support today and at any time, for as long as they need this."
- Clea Harmer, Sands’ Chief Executive
Sands here to support
We know that when news like this is published it may be very difficult for bereaved parents, to see or read about. It is okay to take a break from this content if you need to.
Sands is here for everyone touched by pregnancy or baby loss. The charity offers bereavement support in many ways, because everyone grieves differently and this can change over time.
Find out more about all the ways the charity offers bereavement support.