About the report
The report highlights long-term improvements in perinatal outcomes, with the UK's extended perinatal mortality rate falling to 4.77 deaths per 1,000 births in 2024, 21% lower than in 2013. However, it also reveals persistent inequalities, with babies born in the most deprived areas and babies of Asian and Black ethnicity continuing to experience higher mortality rates.
This is the twelfth MBRRACE-UK perinatal mortality surveillance report, examining deaths occurring shortly before, during, or soon after birth across the UK and Crown Dependencies. The report analyses data on stillbirths, neonatal deaths and extended perinatal deaths among babies born in 2024.
It also explores trends over time, variation between trusts and health boards, the impact of gestational age, socioeconomic deprivation and ethnicity, and the most common causes of perinatal death.
The significance of the findings
The report provides an overview of perinatal mortality across the UK and helps identify areas where further improvements may be needed. The findings show a continued reduction in perinatal mortality across the UK, building on a longer-term downward trend observed since 2013. At the same time, the report highlights persistent inequalities associated with deprivation, ethnicity and prematurity.
Key findings
• Rates of stillbirth, neonatal mortality and extended perinatal mortality continued to decrease in 2024.
• The UK extended perinatal mortality rate was 4.77 deaths per 1,000 births, representing a 21% reduction since 2013.
• Most stillbirths and neonatal deaths occurred before 37 weeks' gestation, despite continuing improvements in outcomes for babies born preterm.
• Babies born to mothers living in the most deprived areas continued to experience the highest rates of stillbirth and neonatal death.
• For neonatal mortality, the gap between the most and least deprived areas narrowed slightly after several years of widening.
• Babies of Asian and Black ethnicity continued to experience higher mortality rates than babies of White ethnicity.
• Congenital anomalies contributed to baby deaths across all ethnic groups and had the largest impact on neonatal mortality rates among babies of Asian Bangladeshi, Asian Pakistani and Black ethnicity.
Implications of the findings
The report shows continued progress in reducing perinatal mortality across the UK. Nevertheless, the persistence of inequalities highlights the need for continued targeted action to address the factors driving differences in outcomes between communities. The findings highlight the need for continued action to address inequalities linked to deprivation, ethnicity and prematurity, alongside ongoing efforts to improve outcomes for babies born preterm.
Outlook
MBRRACE-UK notes that previous recommendations remain highly relevant, including ensuring neonatal intensive care capacity reflects the increasing number of babies born before 24 weeks' gestation receiving survival-focused care, supporting robust reviews of stillbirths and neonatal deaths, implementing the BAPM Perinatal Optimisation Pathway to improve preterm outcomes, and continuing efforts to reduce health inequalities. Continued collaboration between healthcare providers, researchers, commissioners and policymakers will be important to support further improvements in perinatal outcomes and reduce persistent inequalities.
Contributions & Collaborations
MBRRACE-UK is delivered through the Maternal, Newborn and Infant Clinical Outcome Review Programme and is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). The programme is funded by NHS England and the governments of Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Scotland and the Isle of Man. The programme relies on the contributions of healthcare professionals, researchers, data providers, stakeholder organisations and families across the UK who support the collection, analysis and dissemination of perinatal mortality data.
Read the full report
Read the full MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report: UK Perinatal Deaths of Babies Born in 2024 – State of the Nation Report.