Sudden, unexpected and unexplained early neonatal deaths in the North of England

Early neonatal sudden unexpected unexplained deaths (for which we use the term ENSUD) have not been subject to detailed study. The authors investigated the incidence from 1983 to 2007 in the population of the North East of England and North Cumbria. The authors found 30 cases of unexplained ENSUD, giving an overall rate of 0.35/10 000 live births, with no significant change in incidence over this time, and they identified a further 19 deaths of abandoned babies. The authors conclude that unexplained ENSUD is even more rare than has been appreciated and its incidence has not been altered by the considerable changes in maternity care over the last 25 years.