NZ stillbirth rate 10 times higher than cot deaths

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Thu, 14 Apr 2011 8:45a.m.

Ten times as many babies are stillborn than die from cot death

Ten times as many babies are stillborn than die from cot death

New research out today has revealed that New Zealand's stillbirth rate is 10 times higher than the number of cot deaths.

The findings, published in The Lancet, form part of a major study into global stillbirth rates.

Researchers believe that of the 2 million babies stillborn every year worldwide, about half could be saved if mothers had better access to medical care.

Heather Clarke has a son and two daughters, but Danielle will never get to meet her big sister Stephanie - at a routine check up at 33 three weeks, Ms Clarke got the news every expectant mother dreads.

"I knew something was wrong. Everything was taking far too long, nobody was saying anything, and then my midwife just put her hand on my shoulder and said, 'I'm so sorry honey, your baby has died.'

"I can't describe how I felt. Our whole world just fell away."

A global study released today by medical journal The Lancet reveals stillbirth rates in developed countries are frighteningly high. In New Zealand alone, at least one baby is stillborn every day, six out of every 1000 births, and in a third of all cases, the cause is unknown.

There are some risk factors - women aged 35-plus are more vulnerable, as are those who smoke or drink.

Researchers are particularly worried about rising obesity levels.

"Women who are obese have a two-fold risk of having a stillborn baby, and when you consider that 40 percent of us are obese, that problem affects a huge percentage of the population," says Prof Lesley McCowan.

But there isn't always a clear cut answer. The stillbirth rate is being described as the quiet epidemic, and support groups want greater awareness of the problem.

Sarah Numan runs the Manukau branch of Stillbirth and Newborn Death Support (SANDS). She's had three stillbirths herself.

"It is pretty huge. It's double the annual road toll, it's higher than breast cancer deaths, prostate cancer, suicide deaths."

New Zealand researchers agree with global findings that better medical care, particularly early antenatal care, would be a step forward in prevention.

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Comments

22 Apr 2011 01:46p.m.

bazza wrote:

Stillborn & miscarried babies are tragic for all concerned, especially the mother. The ongoing trauma, the grief & maybe unfounded guilt are not usually helped or supported unless the parents have the means to pay. The attitude seems to be a heartless 'get over it', we haven't got a profitable drug for this one. Psychotropic drugs aren't bad though. As with so many medical & lifestyle or health problems there is no research - even though the problems & possible causes are known they are never publicly acknowledged & if they have to be, the research is 'fudged' by the parameters, or by leaving out the damaging bits of information. The scientists who do the work with due diligence are kept silent by the threat of no promotion or even job loss & what we get is the PR or truth challenged version. Of course if there are no figures kept , often wilfully, there is no problem ...right?. Often research is directed in the wrong direction & the more messy possibilities are deliberately left out so as not to open a can of worms. For example the effect of herbicides & pesticides in the food chain on 'healthy' fruit & vegetables, milk etc. Many of these are hormonal disrupters to humans even in minute concentrations. Others are dioxin, 1080, brodificoum with no known antidote & sprayed around like there is no tomorrow & toxic chemical leftovers from the fertiliser industry like flouride mass medication in our water. Some are banned by most countries & are possibly leftovers from chemical warfare research. The media has highlighted the massive reduction in male sperm counts, so it is a wonder that we can conceive let alone give birth to a healthy child. Again no causes investigated that I know of,only compliant media speculation & a slick fob off by so called health authorities. It doesn't stop there, once born the child is subjected to toxic vaccines that contain mercury(thimerisol) & aluminium both linked to autism & altzheimers. There are better ways of being immune.

14 Apr 2011 01:53p.m.

Deborah wrote:

Ricardo the point is that it that hundreds of babies are dying and without it being acknowledge and talked about its not going to improve. The no. of babies that are stillborn each year is more than the road toll, Yet we never hear about it. There is very little research done as their is no funding for it. The government needs to do more to help prevent these deaths.

14 Apr 2011 01:12p.m.

Ricardo wrote:

And the point of this article is?

14 Apr 2011 10:31a.m.

Janine Andrews wrote:

Do you know why this is, because the government wont even pay for pregnant women to go to their GP's anymore and there are to many midwives who have no idea what they are doing if problems occur and they just carry on regardless. The midwives will not refer women with high risk factors they just ignore them as they will lose their money from the government.

14 Apr 2011 10:17a.m.

kim wrote:

Yeah I was going to comment, this whole article is basically useless unless we know what is a normal stillbirth date, for all we know, our rate might be lower than normal, but Awhina has added some vital information which as usual the journalists haven't the brains to realise for themselves is going to be an obvious question.

14 Apr 2011 09:08a.m.

awhina rogers wrote:

Did you know that NZ have the 3rd worst rate of stillbirth in the developed world? France, Austria and the NZ and UK tied. They didn't air that bit. What about the 700 babies that died in NZ in 2008 being the equivalent of 4 Auckland - Wellington Airbus crashes with no survivors. This bit was not shown either