Written question WQ97785

The Welsh Government recognises the profound impact of losing a baby at any stage of pregnancy. Wales does not have formal targets for reducing pregnancy loss and baby deaths – ongoing improved reduction in deaths is our key focus.

MBRRACE-UK is a national audit programme, which collects information about all late foetal losses, stillbirths, neonatal deaths and maternal deaths across the UK. The Welsh Government and NHS England fund MBRRACE-UK, which undertakes a national audit of stillbirths and neonatal deaths as part of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP).

Stillbirth rates in Wales have declined by 17% since 2010, however there has been little change in rates since 2018. In 2022, stillbirth rates were higher in Wales than in other UK nations but within 5% of the group average. Due to the relatively small numbers in Wales, there is year-to-year volatility and statistical significance between the UK nations cannot be drawn.

In 2023, a national perinatal optimisation programme (PERIPrem Cymru) was launched, with the aim of reducing mortality and brain injury and in turn optimising outcomes for babies born early. Through this programme and the hard work of frontline clinicians, considerable improvements have already been achieved in the care and outcomes of babies across Wales.

The Maternity and Neonatal Quality Statement, was published in February 2025, which sets out our national vision for safe, equitable and high-quality care. It is designed to drive consistent standards across Wales and focus on reducing avoidable harm including stillbirth and neonatal deaths; it also promotes evidence-based care and continuous improvement in every health board.

The Strategic Maternity and Neonatal Network is working with health boards and key stakeholders to deliver the Maternity and Neonatal Safety Support Programme (MatNeoSSP), to reduce mortality and eliminate avoidable harm. We have committed £1.15m to the end of March 2026 to support service improvement for all families, ensuring safe, equitable care with high levels of experience and outcome.

I announced an assessment of maternity and neonatal services across Wales earlier this year. This will provide a proportionate and, in the main, contemporaneous assessment of maternity and neonatal services delivered by health boards across NHS Wales. Women, babies, and families are at the centre of the assessment and the panel are actively engaging women and families, ensuring their voices, lived experiences and needs are integral to shaping findings and recommendations, with particular attention to equity and inclusion. We expect to receive initial advice from the panel by the end of this month and a report in January.