Social deprivation and the causes of stillbirth and infant mortality

To investigate the relation between social deprivation and causes of stillbirth and infant mortality.

Stillbirths and infant deaths in 6347 enumeration districts in Wales were linked with the Townsend score of social deprivation. In 1993-98 there were 211 072 live births, 1147 stillbirths, and 1223 infant deaths. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate the magnitude of effect for associations between the Townsend score and categories of death by age and the causes of death. The relative risk of death between most and least deprived enumeration districts was derived.

Relative risk of combined stillbirth and infant death was 1.53 (95% CI 1.35 to 1.74) in the most deprived compared with the least deprived enumeration districts. The early neonatal mortality rate was not significantly associated with deprivation. Sudden infant death syndrome showed a 307% (95% CI 197% to 456%) increase in mortality across the range of deprivation. Deaths caused by specific conditions and infection were also associated with deprivation, but there was no evidence of a significant association with deaths caused by placental abruption, intrapartum asphyxia, and prematurity.

Collaborative public health action at national and local level to target resources in deprived communities and reduce these inequalities in child health is required. Early neonatal mortality rates and deaths from intrapartum asphyxia and prematurity are not significantly associated with deprivation and may be more appropriate quality of clinical care indicators than stillbirth, perinatal, and neonatal mortality rates.