Analysis of England and Wales units also finds 63% higher risk to babies whose mothers live in most deprived areas
Babies born to black mothers in England and Wales and those from the most deprived areas are significantly more likely to die while in neonatal units, according to analysis revealing the “deeply concerning” figures.
The study, led by academics at the University of Liverpool, examined data on more than 700,000 babies admitted to an NHS neonatal unit across England and Wales between 2012 and 2022.
Babies born to black mothers had the highest mortality rates for the majority of years in the study, with an 81% higher risk of dying before discharge compared with babies born to white mothers.
The highest mortality rate for black babies stood at 29.7 deaths per 1,000 babies, with the highest rate for white babies at 16.9 deaths per 1,000 babies.
