Pregnancy, births and maternity: stillbirth, neonatal and infant deaths, and maternal deaths

Stillbirth, neonatal and infant deaths

Stillbirth, neonatal, and infant deaths have fallen to such a low level that it is possible there will be little further improvement.  

The stillbirth death rate in Scotland in 2023 was 3.7 per 1,000 births (live and still) and the neonatal death rate (deaths in first 28 days of life) was 2.7 per 1,000 live births. The infant death rate refers to deaths in the first year of life and was 4.0 per 1,000 live births in 2023.

(Source: NRS, 2024) 

Country comparison: 

The MBRRACE-UK data collection (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK), although slightly different to the NRS Vital Events data above, allows the Scotland and UK rates to be compared: 

• The stillbirth rate in Scotland (2022) was 3.3 per 1,000 total births; the UK average was 3.4. 
• The neonatal death rate in Scotland (2022) was 1.6 per 1,000 live births; the UK average was 1.7. 

• The extended perinatal death rate (all stillbirths and neonatal deaths) in Scotland (2022) was 4.9 per 1,000 total births; the UK average was 5.0. 

Maternal deaths 

Maternal deaths data are available for the UK and England but not Scotland:

• The 2020-22 UK maternal death rate was 13.6 per 100,000 deliveries, an increase from 11.7 in the 2019-21 period. If COVID-19 attributable deaths are excluded, the maternal mortality rate for 2020-22 was 11.7% which was higher than the rate for 2019-21. This difference was not statistically significant.  The rate of overall maternal mortality in the 2020-22 triennium was statistically significantly increased from that in 2017-19 where it was (8.79 per 100,000 deliveries).

• UK maternal mortality rates have increased to their highest levels since 2003-05.
• In England, 2020-22, maternal death was almost three times more likely (relative risk ratio of 2.9) for Black women than White women. 
• In England, women in the most deprived quintile are twice as likely to die than those in the least deprived quintile. Maternal mortality has been rising across all deprivation quintiles in recent years.

Source: Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) collaboration which produces the Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care report (data from 2020-22).