Scottish health chiefs reassure public following spike in baby deaths

Public Health Scotland has reassured the public there are “no unusual patterns” associated with a spike in baby deaths in April

Scottish health chiefs have claimed there are “no unusual patterns in cause of death”, following a spike in baby deaths in April.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has investigated a rise in deaths among children between four weeks and one year old that occurred for the month.

The investigation was triggered by figures showing the post-neonatal mortality rate had breached a warning threshold, known as the warning limit, which is used to gauge whether month-to-month fluctuations are out of the ordinary.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has investigated a spike in deaths among children between four weeks and one year old which occurred last April.

The post-neonatal mortality rate in April hit 2.8 per 1,000 live births – the first time since monthly surveillance began in July 2017 that this threshold has been exceeded.

A spokesperson for PHS said there were "no unusual patterns in cause of death" to explain the spike in April, and there was "no evidence that the increase in infant mortality is due to problems in maternity or neonatal health services".

In September 2022, PHS announced an expert review of two previous spikes in deaths among infants. Retired consultant neonatologist Dr Helen Mactier will investigate the issue after two rises were recorded in September 2021 and March 2022. A total of 29 infants died.

Meanwhile, the stillbirth rate in April was the highest since monthly monitoring began, at 6.1 per 1000 births. While the number is below the control limit needed to launch an investigation, it is above the warning limit.

The rate of both stillbirths and neonatal death returned to normal levels in May.