Cutting Premature Death Rates

Babies born with a low birthweight are at an increased risk of death in infancy right through to adolescence compared to babies born at a normal birthweight, according to new University research. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A team from the School of Medicine led by Professor Sailesh Kotecha, examined official death rates in low birthweight babies among over 12m births in England and Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The research, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, found that of the 12,355,251 live births between 1993 and 2011, there were 74,890 (0.61%) deaths between birth and 18 years of age, with 57,623 (77%) occurring in the first year of life and 17,267 (23%) occurring between 1 and 18 years of age. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Death rates were higher in babies with low birthweight at both age groups, with death occurring 130 times more frequently in those born at a very low birthweight (under 2,500g) than normal birth weight in infancy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Events occurring around birth and premature births were important causes of deaths in infancy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Causes for deaths in those aged 1 and 18 years of age were more evenly distributed across causes, with conditions of the nervous system (20%) and respiratory system (16%) being leading causes of death in the lowest birthweight group but cancers and external conditions (including accidents) being the primary causes of death in low birthweight groups. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Kotecha said: “We know low birthweight is associated with increased mortality rates in infancy; however, its association with mortality in later childhood and adolescence is less clear cut. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This study is significant as it shows, for the first time, that low birthweight is associated with increased death rates from infancy right through to adolescence.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As the team point out, the study was observational however they believe it reinforces the need to target factors known to contribute to low birthweights to help cut deaths. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Kotecha added: “The study reaffirms the need to tackle important factors such as maternal smoking and deprivation which are well known to contribute to low birth weight. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“By better understanding and ameliorating influences that lead to low birthweight, deaths in infancy and beyond could be cut.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​