A report commissioned by:
Transcription
A report commissioned by:
A report commissioned by: Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 7 2. Introduction 10 3. Policy and strategy summary 12 4. Evidence 14 4.1 Perinatal mortality - causes 14 4.2 Perinatal mortality - risk factors 16 4.3 Maternity services and care provision in rural areas 17 4.3.1 Centralisation of services 18 4.3.2 Rural isolation and distance travelled to access services 19 4.3.3 Skilled staff 19 5. Intelligence 23 5.1 Definitions 23 5.2 Population summary 23 5.3 Fertility 26 5.3.1 General Fertility Rate 26 5.3.2 Total Fertility Rate 29 5.4 Live births 32 5.5 Maternal age 34 5.6 Birthweight 36 5.6.1 Low birthweight 36 5.6.2 Very low birthweight 39 5.7 Mortality 39 5.7.1 Stillbirths 40 5.7.2 Early neonatal deaths 43 5.7.3 Perinatal mortality rate 44 5.8 Labour/Delivery 46 5.8.1 Method of onset of labour 46 5.8.2 Method of delivery 47 5.8.3 Person conducting delivery 48 5.9 Antenatal assessment 49 5.10 Smoking in pregnancy 50 5.11 Workforce 51 6. Maternity services in Cumbria 53 6.1 Service provision 54 6.1.1 Staffing levels 54 6.1.2 Developing and improving services 54 6.1.3 Mapping local service provision 57 6.1.4 Other services across Cumbria 62 7. Conclusions and recommendations 64 8. Appendices 66 8.1 Appendix 1: Glossary of definitions 66 8.2 Appendix 2: Policy and strategy summary 67 8.3 Appendix 3: Risk factors for perinatal mortality 74 8.4 Appendix 4: The LA Classification 83 8.5 Appendix 5: Summary of results from the survey of women’s experiences of maternity services 2010 for Cumbria.67 84 8.6 Appendix 6: Data from the CHIMAT Outcomes versus Expenditure tool, 2010/11 9. References 85 97 3 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table of Tables Table 1: Local authority classification of the population of Cumbria, the North West and England. 17 Table 2: Female population aged 15 to 44 years. Cumbrian local authorities, North West and England, 2010. 24 Table 3: Female population aged 15 to 44 years. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. 25 Table 4: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria and Cumbrian Local Authorities, England and Wales and North West, 2006 to 2010. 27 Table 5: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006 to 2010. 28 Table 6: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, England and Wales and North West, 2006 to 2010. 30 Table 7: Total Fertility Rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years). Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006 to 2010. 31 Table 8: Number of live births and crude birth rate (per 1,000 population). Cumbrian local authorities, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. 33 Table 9: Number of live births and crude birth rate (per 1,000 population). Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006 to 2010. 34 Table 10: Number of births by mothers age, Cumbria 2006 to 2010. 36 Table 11: Number and percentage of low birthweight births. England and Wales, North West, Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2006-2010. Table 12: Percentage of low birthweight babies. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006-2010. 38 39 Table 13: Number and percentage of very low birthweight babies. England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2006-2010. 39 Table 14: Stillbirth rate (crude rate per 1,000 births). England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2004-06 to 2008-10 (pooled data). 41 Table 15: Stillbirths rate per 1,000 total births. England and Wales, North West, Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2004-06 to 2008-2010 (pooled data). 42 Table 16: Perinatal mortality, rate per 1,000 total births. England and Wales, North West, Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2004-06 to 2008-10. 45 Table 17: Method of onset of labour. Cumbria and local authorities, 2005 to 2009.* 46 Table 18: Method of delivery. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2005 to 2009. 48 Table 19: Person conducting delivery. Cumbria and local authorities, 2005 to 2009. 49 Table 20: Antenatal assessment at 12 weeks, January to March 2011. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, North West and England and Wales. 50 Table 21: Outcomes and expenditure information for Cumbria Primary Care Trust and comparator Primary Care Trusts, 2010-11. 52 Table 22: Maternity services provided by North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. 57 Table 23: Maternity services provided by University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. 60 Table 24: Guidelines for weight gain in pregnancy. 78 4 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table of Figures Figure 1: Population structure of Cumbria, 2010. 24 Figure 2: Female population aged 15 to 44 years. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. 25 Figure 3: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. 26 Figure 4: General Fertility Rate by local authority. Cumbria, 2010. 27 Figure 5: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. 28 Figure 6: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. 29 Figure 7: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbrian local authorities, 2010. 30 Figure 8: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. 31 Figure 9: Live birth rate (crude rate per 1,000 population). Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. 32 Figure 10: Live birth rate (crude rate per 1,000 population) by local authority. Cumbria, 2010. 33 Figure 11: Percentage of live births by age of mother. England and Wales, 2006 to 2010#. 35 Figure 12: Percentage of births by age of mother. Cumbria, 2006 to 2010. 35 Figure 13: Percentage of low birthweight births. Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006-2010. 37 Figure 14: Percentage of low birthweight births. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2010. 37 Figure 15: Percentage of low birthweight births (less than 2,500grams). Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. 38 Figure 16: Stillbirth and perinatal mortality, England and Wales, 1993-2010. 40 Figure 17: Stillbirth rate (crude rate per 1,000 births). England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2004-06 to 2008-10 (pooled data)L. 41 Figure 18: Stillbirths rate per 1,000 total births. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2008-2010 (pooled data). 42 Figure 19: Number of deaths under 7 days as a percentage of total births. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2005-2009. 43 Figure 20: Perinatal mortality, rate per 1,000 total births. England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2004-06 to 2008-10. 44 Figure 21: Perinatal mortality rate per 1,000 total births across England, North West, Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2008-10 (pooled data). 45 Figure 22: Method of onset of labour. Cumbria, 2005 to 2009.* 46 Figure 23: Method of delivery. Cumbria 2005 to 2009. 47 Figure 24: Person conducting delivery. Cumbria, 2005 to 2009. 49 Figure 25: Smoking status at delivery: smokers as a percentage of all maternities. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010/11. 51 Table of Maps Map 1: Location of maternity units in Cumbria. 53 5 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria A statistical review Foreword Being born in Cumbria means being born in one of the most beautiful places on earth. The rural environment, though undeniably attractive, brings with it challenges in providing safe and sustainable healthcare services. One area where this is particularly challenging is in the field of obstetrics. This report brings together available statistical data relating to maternity care services for the last five years. In many areas Cumbrian services are performing well, with low stillbirth and perinatal mortality rates. Investment in NHS maternity services in Cumbria is higher than in comparable areas such as Devon and North Yorkshire. This report forms the first part of a two-part study. The second part comprises an anonymised case-by-case review of perinatal mortality (death of a baby shortly before or shortly after birth). What is already clear is that a great many factors determine the outcome of any one pregnancy. Of those lifestyle factors within our control, smoking and obesity rates undoubtedly have some of the greatest impact. For maternity services, there will continue to be a need to follow a ‘practice makes perfect’ approach to care, with doctors, midwives and other health professionals maintaining their skills by performing a critical mass of procedures in any given year. Alongside this, the challenge around the distance which people are expected to travel for the very best care remains. Innovative models where obstetricians and other professionals operate across a network of hospitals need to be considered in the future as a means of squaring the circle safely and sustainably. A greater role for family doctors and community-based midwifery services in the care of mothers and babies also merits consideration. The challenge for the future is to develop models of obstetric care that can get the best possible outcomes for our rural population. This report should be considered alongside the case-by-case review of perinatal mortality as a key contribution to that debate. Dr Rebecca Wagstaff Deputy Director of Public Health for Cumbria 6 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 1. Executive Summary stillbirth rate is relatively unchanged (from 5.4 to 5.2 per 1,000 total birthsA). Whilst Cumbria’s perinatal mortality rate appears to have been falling, from 7.3 per 1,000 total births in 2005 to 6.7 per 1,000 total births in 2009, this decline is not statistically significant,3 nor was the downward trend in stillbirth rates (4.8 to 4.5 per 1,000 total births) over the same periodB. Early neonatal deaths have declined at a greater rate than stillbirths, due to increased survival of premature and low birthweight infants.4 The North West Public Health Observatory at the Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University were commissioned by NHS Cumbria to produce this report as the first part of a two phase study. The aim of this study was to provide a statistical analysis of pregnancy and births across Cumbria with a focus on perinatal mortality and the associated risk factors. NHS Cumbria has also commissioned an independent expert clinical consortium to review all perinatal deaths that occurred in mothers from Cumbria booked for delivery at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in years 2009 and 2010. This report complements the review. This report consists of six sections as follows: Introduction; Policy/Strategy; Evidence; Intelligence; Maternity in Cumbria; and Conclusions and Recommendations. There are a number of appendices that contain a glossary of definitions along with more detailed information on policy/strategy and evidence. Together, these two pieces of work will inform the Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, public health expert professionals and providers of NHS care in Cumbria about maternity and perinatal mortality, thus allowing local service providers to identify areas for improvement to ensure that perinatal mortality continues to decline across Cumbria. North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust provide maternity services across Cumbria. There are six units in the county, four of which are consultant-led and two are midwifeled. Over half of births in Cumbria during 2010/11 took place in North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust (65.2%). In 2010/11, NHS Cumbria had more consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology and more midwives per 1,000 births that the averages for England. The focus of this report is on perinatal mortality as it is an important and comprehensive indicator of the quality of maternity care.1 Perinatal mortality is defined as the: “death of a fetus or a newborn in the perinatal period that commences at 24 completed weeks’ gestation and ends before seven completed days after birth.” Perinatal mortality therefore encompasses both stillbirths: “A baby delivered without signs of life after 23+6 weeks of pregnancy” and early neonatal deaths: “the death of a live born baby occurring before seven completed days.” 2 In 2010/11, the average cost per birth in Cumbria was £2,349. The issues and challenges faced by maternity service providers in Cumbria include: • Ensuring safe and sustainable care provision across a large geographically spread rural area; • Meeting the needs of, and supporting vulnerable groups, in addition to meeting the national normal birth agenda for women. For example, provision of neonatal services is a particular challenge; for those living in Barrow it is 52 miles to the nearest level two neonatal unit; The UK perinatal mortality rate has been in decline for over a decade, falling from 8.3 per 1,000 births in 2000 to 7.6 per 1,000 births in 2009.13 This decline is largely due to falls in the early neonatal death rate (from 2.9 to 2.5 per 1,000 live births). The A B The term ‘total births’ has been used in place of ‘live and stillbirths’. Early neonatal death rate figures for Cumbria were unavailable. 7 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 • The requirement for additional specialist roles and support to address the needs of the very deprived areas, such as those found in Barrow; and population). Both South Lakeland and Eden had live birth rates that were significantly lower than the rate for Cumbria. • The continued need for hospital services to integrate across sites, and with community and primary care provision in local areas. • Cumbria had a slightly higher proportion of births to teenage mothers in 2010 compared to England and Wales (8% and 6% respectively). The proportion of births to older mothers (aged 40 years and over), at 3%, was similar to that in England and Wales (4%). From 2006 to 2010, the number of births to mothers aged 40 years and over in Cumbria decreased by 6%, the largest percentage decrease of all of the age groups. The largest percentage increase was seen in the 25-29 year old group (13%). Some of the key findings from the report are as follows: • In 2010, Cumbria had a lower proportion of women of childbearing age C (34%) as compared to the North West (39%) and England (40%). This proportion is expected to fall to around 30% by 2031. • Both the General and Total Fertility Rates in Cumbria increased from 2006 to 2010 but remained lower than the North West and England and Wales. During this period, Cumbria saw a larger percentage increase in General Fertility Rate (10.2%) as compared to the North West (8.8%) and England and Wales (8.6%). In 2010, at local authority level, South Lakelands’ General Fertility Rate was significantly lower than that for Cumbria (53.8 and 60.3 respectively). In 2010, the Total Fertility Rate was 2.03 children for every woman in Cumbria (the same as the North West and slightly higher than England and Wales at 2.00), ranging from 1.84 in Barrow-in-Furness to 2.23 in Allerdale. • The proportion of babies born at a low birthweight (less than 2,500 grams) is increasing in Cumbria; however the proportion remains lower than that seen in the North West and England and Wales. In 2010, 6.8% of babies born in Cumbria were of a low birthweight compared to 7.2% in the North West and 7.3% in England and Wales. • Data from the Office for National Statistics Deaths Extract for 2005-2009 showed that there were 55 early neonatal deaths in Cumbria. There were no significant differences in the percentage of early neonatal deaths across Cumbria’s local authorities or when compared to the North West figure. These figures and accompanying interpretation should, however, be viewed with caution due to the small numbers involved. • In the five years from 2006 to 2010, the live birth rate has been increasing, yet is consistently lower in Cumbria than the North West and England. In 2010, Cumbria’s live birth rate was 10.3 per 1,000 population compared to 12.9 per 1,000 in the North West and 13.1 per 1,000 in England and Wales. There was wide variation when looking at the live birth rate across Cumbria’s local authorities, with the highest rate seen in Carlisle (12.2 per 1,000 population, significantly higher than all other local authorities) and the lowest in South Lakeland (8.1 per 1,000 C • When compared to England and Wales and the North West, both the stillbirth rate and the perinatal mortality rates in Cumbria have followed the same downward trend from 2004-06 to 200810, with Cumbria having lower rates overall (across the measured years).The stillbirth rate for Cumbria in 2008-10 was 3.7 per 1,000 total births, lower than both Females aged 15-44 years. 8 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 • From January to March 2011, the proportion of pregnant women attending for antenatal assessmentD at 12 weeks in Cumbria (89.0%) was higher than for both the North West (83.9%) and England (84.2%). However, when examining data for the comparative Primary Care Trusts, Cumbria had the second lowest percentage being seen for antenatal assessment at 12 weeks (the lowest being Devon, 85.5%), while North Yorkshire and York had the highest percentage (94.3%). the North West and England and Wales rates (both 5.1 per 1,000 total births). In the three year period from 2008 to 2010, the perinatal mortality rate for Cumbria was 5.6 per 1,000 total births, compared to both England (7.5) and the North West (7.6), although this difference was not statistically significant. Examining perinatal mortality rates across the comparative Primary Care Trusts reveals no significant differences. • There were variations in method of delivery in Cumbria during the five year period 2005 to 2009. For example, 10.3% of deliveries in Cumbria were by elective caesarean, but at local authority level this proportion ranged from 8.2% in Carlisle to 11.2% in Copeland. During this time almost two-thirds of all deliveries in Cumbria were conducted by a midwife (64.5%), while hospital doctors conducted just under a third of deliveries (31.0%). • In 2010/11, Cumbria and the North West had similar percentages of women who were smoking at the time of giving birth (as a percentage of all maternities) at 16.1% and 17.7% respectively. These were both higher than the percentage for England (13.5%). Definitions General Fertility Rate: number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. Total Fertility Rate: a single measure of fertility representing the average number of children per woman that would be born to a group of women if current age-specific patterns of fertility persisted throughout the childbearing life. Stillbirth: a baby delivered without signs of life after 23+6 weeks of pregnancy. Early neonatal death: the death of a live born baby occurring before seven completed days. Perinatal mortality: the number of stillbirths and early neonatal deaths per 1,000 live and stillbirths. A full glossary of definitions is available in Appendix 1. D Women seen by a midwife or a maternity healthcare professional, for health and social care assessment of needs, risks and choices by 12 completed weeks of pregnancy. 9 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 2. Introduction The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) suggest that such factors have led to the loss of young life given the lack of appropriate and timely care being available to mothers and their babies and even the closure of some maternity wards.11 Obstetrics refers to “the branch of medicine that deals with the care of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the recuperative period following delivery”.5 Care of babies in the antenatal period and during delivery is usually provided by midwives,6 however, doctors or obstetricians can become involved if a baby or its mother has a problem or is at risk of experiencing complications.6 Therefore, providing efficient and high quality antenatal and labour ward care requires midwives and obstetricians working together in partnership. The focus of this report is on perinatal mortality as it is an important and comprehensive indicator of the quality of maternity care.1 Perinatal mortality is defined as the: “death of a fetus or a newborn in the perinatal period that commences at 24 completed weeks’ gestation and ends before seven completed days after birth.” Perinatal mortality therefore encompasses both stillbirths: “A baby delivered without signs of life after 23+6 weeks of pregnancy” and early neonatal deaths “the death of a live born baby occurring before 7 completed days.”2 Maternity and newborn services are essential to the health of the population, providing the first significant personal experience of NHS healthcare for many. These services are considered the ‘touchstone’ of an organisation’s quality of care.7 Everyone comes into contact with maternity services at some point in their lives, either directly for women and babies or indirectly, via the impact on partners and family members. Further definitions of terms used within this report can be found in the glossary (Appendix 1). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of perinatal mortality as an indicator of maternity and newborn care as it: Nationally, obstetric care is being provided in the context of a growing number of care standards and associated guidelines or recommendations (see Section 3). This, coupled with a rising birth rate and growing pressures upon staff providing obstetric and maternity services, can make service provision extremely challenging. The birth rate in England and Wales has risen steadily over the past decade from 604,441 live births in 2000 to 723,165 live births in 2010. This equates to an increase in the general fertility rate from 55.8 to 65.4 and the total fertility rate from 1.66 to 2.00 children per woman.8 Although the average age of women giving birth has remained fairly constant over the last decade, the rate of births to women aged under 20 years has declined and the rate among older mothers continues to rise.8 • provides information required to improve the health of pregnant women, new mothers and newborns; and • allows decision makers to identify issues, monitor trends and inequalities and consider changes to public health policy and practice.12 In the decade from 2000 to 2009, there has been a downward trend in the UK perinatal mortality rate from 8.3 per 1,000 births to 7.6 per 1,000 births.3 This decrease was largely the result of falls in the early neonatal death rate (from 2.9 to 2.5 per 1,000 live births) and a more modest reduction in stillbirth rate (from 5.4 to 5.2 per 1,000 total births). In Cumbria, there appears to be a decline in the perinatal mortality rate, from 7.3 per 1,000 total births in 2005 to 6.7 per 1,000 total births in 2009, however this fall was A recent UK survey revealed a shortage in the number of midwives providing one-to-one care9 and there are added pressures on medical staff following the introduction of the European Union’s 48 hour Working Time Directive.10 10 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 not statistically significant.3 The stillbirth rate also decreased from 4.8 to 4.5 per 1,000 total births over the same period, again this was not a statistically significant reduction. E The decline in early neonatal deaths exceeds that of stillbirths; this may be attributed to advances in neonatal care leading to increased survival of extremely premature infants.4 The lack of a reduction in stillbirths has meant that the proportion of perinatal mortality attributable to stillbirth has risen from 50% to 66%. across the county. Added to this is the difficulty in trying to quantify levels of deprivation and need in rural areas. Of the 63,000 people on low income, benefits or tax credits in Cumbria, only 44% (28,000) live in the 20% most deprived areas. The majority of people in relative poverty (56%) live outside these deprived areas, and 38% (20,000 people) live in rural areas. F The combination of low income, isolated location and poor access to transport can have a major impact on access to antenatal care and maternity services. These issues are explored in more detail in Section 4.3 of this report. Two thirds of perinatal mortality cases in the UK are stillbirths.13 Despite a significant reduction in stillbirth rates in high-income countries since the development of maternity services in the 1940s, an examination of trends over the past 20 years revealed that the UK had the highest rate of late gestation stillbirths out of the 35 highest-income nations (3.8 stillbirths per 1,000 births after 28 weeks’ gestation).14 In highincome countries stillbirth rates are higher in ethnic minority, socially disadvantaged, and rural populations than in ethnic majority, affluent, and urban populations. It is important for each geographical area to try to determine the local causes of and risk factors for stillbirth, and the contexts in which they occur.15 This report was commissioned by NHS Cumbria as the first part of a two phase study. The aim of this study was to provide a statistical analysis of pregnancy and birth across Cumbria with a focus on perinatal mortality and the associated risk factors. This report complements the second phase of work, a review of all perinatal deaths that occurred in mothers booked for delivery at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in 2009 and 2010. This review, also commissioned by NHS Cumbria, is being conducted by an independent expert clinical consortium. Cumbria, home to the Lake District, is a predominantly rural county in the northwest of England. It is one of the most sparsely populated counties in the country. Over half of all births during 2006 were in densely populated urban areas, while almost a fifth were in sparsely populated areas.16 Rural-urban divisions such as this are challenging for health service organisers E Together, these two pieces of work will inform the new Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group about maternity services and perinatal mortality and allow public health professionals and local service providers to identify areas for improvement to ensure that perinatal mortality continues to decline across Cumbria. Early neonatal death rate figures for Cumbria were unavailable. Information from Cumbria Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, 2009. See www.cumbria.nhs.uk/YourHealth/ PublicHealthInformation/Cumbria%20JSNA%202009.pdf F 11 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 3. Policy and strategy summary based on needs assessment of the local population which is appropriate, clinically effective and easily accessible through a multi-disciplinary and multiagency approach.37,39 Common themes within these documents include: woman-centred care and the availability of informed choice of maternity services whilst ensuring equity of access to these services; provision and organisation of maternity care; considerations related to lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol/substance misuse) that may impact upon pregnancy; screening; and management of specific clinical conditions. National standards are detailed in Box 2 and further information about each of these standards can be found in Appendix 2. There are numerous policy and strategy documents providing information on guidelines and measures of best practice to improve the quality of maternity care for women and their children and ensure that they have the best possible outcome.21, 22, 25, 28 Here, we have listed a number of key national, regional and local policy/strategy documents for maternity care (see Box 1). Further information about each of these documents can be found in Appendix 2. In addition, there are a number of maternity standards, which seek to ensure the planning and delivery of high quality care. These standards are Box 1: Policy/Strategy documents National • The Government’s response to the recommendations in Frontline Care: the report of the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England (2011).17 • Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England (2010),18 accompanied by Our Health and Wellbeing Today.19 • The NHS in England: the Operating Framework for 2011/12 (2010).20 • Clinical Guideline 62. Antenatal care: routine care for the healthy pregnant woman (2008).21 Set to compliment the National Service Framework for Children38 as well as Maternity Matters.22 • Clinical Guideline 55. Intrapartum care: Care of healthy women and their babies during childbirth (2007).23 • Maternity Matters: Choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service (2007).22 • Improving the quality and outcomes for maternity service users through effective commissioning (2007).24 • National Guidelines for Maternity Services Liaison Committees (2006).25 • Joint planning and commissioning framework for children, young people and maternity services (2006).26 • Every Child Matters (2003).27 • Delivering the Best: Midwives Contribution to the NHS Plan (2003).28 Regional • Our Life in the North West: Tackling health inequalities locally (2008).29 Local • Children and Young People’s Plan (2008).30 North Cumbria • North Cumbria Clinical Strategy (2011),31 developed in line with the Closer to Home Strategy.32 South Cumbria • The Nursing and Midwifery Strategy 2009-2014: Embracing the Future and Building Confidence (2009).33 12 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Neonatal networks units provide various levels of care locally. The Lancashire and South Cumbria Neonatal Intensive Care Network was set-up in 2003 and works closely with other networks in the North West of England (Cheshire and Merseyside and, Greater Manchester). The network aims to provide the highest standards of care for babies and their families and to develop neonatal services within the area within the limits of the capacity and resources available to them.35 The Department of Health’s National Strategy for Improvement (2003)34 recommended the development of Neonatal Networks (also known as Perinatal Networks or Newborn Networks). These networks aim to provide families with ‘close to home’ access to appropriate care, thus reducing unnecessary transfer of their baby to intensive care units further afield. They ensure that groups of hospitals and neonatal Box 2: National Maternity Standards • Healthy Child Programme: Pregnancy and the first five years of life (2009)36 updates Standard One of the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services.39 • National Standards for Maternity Care – Report of a Working Party (2008)37 aims to ensure fair, safe and quality assured services for all mothers and babies. • National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity (2004)38 promotes woman- and child-centred high quality services that are designed around meeting individual need and reducing inequality. The final standard of this framework, the Maternity Services standard39, clearly states that all health services must employ inclusive, multidisciplinary and multi-agency policies, services and facilities by maternity care providers. 13 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 4. Evidence can include: intrauterine growth restriction (where nutrient delivery is impaired), infection, placental abruption (where the placenta separates from the uterus prior to birth), preeclampsia and umbilical cord complications such as knots or entanglement. Maternal smoking, advanced maternal age, grand multiparity,G and obesity are also widely recognised to increase the risk of antepartum stillbirth. Intrapartum stillbirths are usually the result of oxygen restriction during labour or trauma during delivery and often reflect a poor quality of clinical care during delivery. Whilst complications during pregnancy or maternal disease may cause antepartum death, in some cases, no specific reason can be found.41 Around 17 babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth in the UK every day.2 In the UK, approximately one in 200 babies is stillborn, while in Cumbria one in 220 babies is stillborn.3 There is a growing body of evidence regarding the underlying causes of perinatal mortality; here we provide a short summary, with a more detailed review (with a particular focus on risk factors) available in Appendix 3. 4.1 Perinatal mortality - causes Worldwide, the causes of perinatal mortality are associated with poor maternal health, inadequate antenatal care and inappropriate management of complications during pregnancy and delivery; absence of obstetric care during complicated births is a common cause of perinatal deaths (see Box 3). Gestational age, low birthweight and congenital anomalies are intermediate indicators of perinatal mortality and are highly interrelated.40 In high-income countries, established placental pathologies such as those leading to intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) or placental abruption are the largest contributing cause of perinatal deaths, with infection being the second largest contributor.14 Depending on the amount of investigation after stillbirth and the classification system used, between 15% and 28% of stillbirths are unexplained. This is illustrated by UK figures from the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (CMACE) which reported 28% of stillbirths in 2009 as unexplained, compared to around 50% in earlier reports, due to a change in classification system. The biggest causes/associated factors for stillbirths were major congenital anomaly (9%), antepartum or intrapartum haemorrhage (11%) and specific placental conditions (12%).13 Recently published statistics indicate that stillbirths due to congenital anomalies have decreased, however this may be due to a reduction in the number of post-mortem examinations being conducted.43 Other classification systems that put greater emphasis on customised birthweight centiles and incorporating the findings of investigations after stillbirth report specific placental conditions being associated with up to half of stillbirths.42 The term ‘stillbirth’ includes cases where intrauterine death occurs before the onset of labour (antepartum death) or during labour (intrapartum death). The majority (~90%) of stillbirths in high-income countries such as the UK happen before labour (antepartum).41 Antepartum stillbirths may be associated with fetal anomalies, placental dysfunction or maternal medical conditions. Placental problems A woman who has had five or more previous pregnancies. G 14 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 3: Causes of neonatal deaths and stillbirth High-Income Countries (such as the UK) Major causes • Fetal growth restriction • Congenital Anomaly • Antepartum haemorrhage • Extreme preterm birth Modifiable factors in high-income countries • Maternal obesity • Maternal age ≥40 years • Cigarette smoking Other associated factors • Maternal medical conditions –– Hypertension –– Diabetes • Illicit drug use • Low educational attainment • Low socio-economic status • No antenatal care Worldwide Causes • Poor maternal health • Insufficient care during pregnancy • Inappropriate management of complications during pregnancy and delivery • Poor hygiene during delivery and the first critical hours after birth • Lack of newborn care. Other (sometimes less well understood) factors: • Women’s social status • Nutritional status at time of conception • Early childbearing • Too many closely spaced pregnancies • Harmful practices, for example, inadequate cord care, letting baby stay wet and cold and feeding other food Flenady et al. Major risk factors for stillbirth in high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis, 2011 Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Heath (CMACE) Perinatal Mortality 2008, 2010. World Health Organization, Neonatal and Perinatal Mortality. Country, Regional and Global Estimates, 2006 15 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 4.2 Perinatalmortality-riskfactors obesity.44,45 There are a plethora of other risk factors, some of which present greater potential for risk than others, that need to be considered (see Box 4). A number of these risk factors are discussed in Appendix 3 more detail. In addition, potential causes, such as interventions during birth/labour and the quality of hospital/medical care 46 are also explored. Deprivation, ethnicity and extremes of maternal age are suggested as the key risk factors in perinatal mortality in numerous publications.13,14,43,113 From a public health perspective, two of the most prevalent, but modifiable risk factors are smoking and Box4:Potentialriskfactorsforperinatalmortality Maternal body mass index (BMI) Marital status Social class Smoking assisted conception Sex of baby Pre-diagnosed medical conditions and medical conditions identified during pregnancy low birthweight Ethnicity Maternal body mass index (BMI) Multiple birth Parity Previous stillbirth Maternal age Where/how the baby was delivered and who by Source: NWPHO from Cnattingus and Lamb, 2002; Freemantle et al, 2009; Samueloff et al, 1989; Smith and Fretts, 2007; Ravelli et al, 2009; Bellad et al, 2009 16 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 4.3 Maternity services and care provision in rural areas According to the 2009 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Local Authority Classification, based on 2001 populations, an estimated 74% of Cumbria’s population live in ‘Rural’ areasH as compared to 19% of the North West and 27% of England (see Table 1). Across the UK, a quarter of the population reside in rural areas,50 and it is recognised that there are challenges and issues that arise within rural communities, which require special attention and consideration.47 In general, those living in rural and more remote areas receive a different level and range of services when compared to their urban counterparts – more than likely a lower level and reduced number. In four of Cumbria’s six local authorities, all of the population are classed as living in rural areas. Table 1: Local authority classification of the population of Cumbria, the North West and England. Name Total Population1 Total Urban Total Rural Rural% Population Population (including Large (excluding Large (including Large Market Town Market Town Market Town population)2 2 2 population) population) Cumbria 487,692 128,929 358,763 74% North West 6,729,722 5,463,616 1,266,106 19% England 49,142,130 35,916,458 13,225,672 27% Allerdale 93,577 - 93,577 100% 20% Barrow-in-Furness 71,908 57,211 14,697 Carlisle 100,679 71,718 28,961 29% Copeland 69,394 - 69,394 100% Eden 49,859 - 49,859 100% South Lakeland 102,275 - 102,275 100% 1 Based on Census 2001 population estimates, Office for National Statistics 2 P eople living in the Large Market Towns are defined as Urban in the Rural Definition. For the purposes of classifying local authorities these towns are considered to be Rural. Source: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Whilst the (previous) Governments’ reform of maternity services to improve choice of maternity care and continuity of support from the same midwife throughout pregnancy until after birth is the ideal, delivering such choices in rural areas can present numerous challenges, including: access to midwives and health visitors; less access to ad-hoc services (for example, ante- and post-natal groups and the invaluable H information that they may impart); 48 as well as equity of service provision. In rural areas, cost is clearly an influence, with problems relating to increased staff travel costs, and time taken to travel to rural and remote areas. Therefore, cost per head to deliver the service will be greater in rural areas.49 Staff recruitment, retention and the maintenance of up-to-date midwifery skills is also an important challenge in rural areas. For details of the Defra LA Classification System and the definition of rural areas see Appendix 4. 17 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 agendas, and to tackle inequalities in health and services within rural area areas, as well as between rural and urban areas. Access to services (and the implications for health outcomes) has been identified as one of their key foci for their research activities during 2009 to 2013 and will look at how to best improve access either by providing more local services or facilitating easier access to services at a distance; and what impact this has upon health and wellbeing. Non-clinical factors that impact on rural maternity care include: level of deprivation, with many rural areas having pockets of deprivation very close to areas of affluence; geography and weather conditions; nature and condition of emergency equipment; nature of emergency back-up and support; and expected gap between current and necessary transfer arrangements.60 Poor public transport infrastructure to support travel outside of rural areas also make it difficult for women to access services if they do not have access to a car or other mode of transport.48 The management of these non-clinical factors in conjunction with clinical challenges is essential to ensure that high quality maternity services, based upon current best practice, are achieved. There are therefore a number of factors that need to be examined in further detail when considering maternity services and the care of pregnant women who live in rural areas (as compared to urban areas), which all impact upon the notion of ‘choice’ of pregnant women living in rural areas. These include the impact of: centralisation of services; rural isolation and distance travelled to hospital and adequate maternity provision in terms of available skill sets. Some of the information detailed below will cut across these themes. Despite the wealth of research from other high income countries including Australia, the USA, Canada and New Zealand about rural versus centralised maternity care and the impact and implications that this has for women, their babies and service provision, there is limited research evidence in this field provided from the UK; the existing research has largely been provided from a single group in Scotland.50 Some of the available research will be considered in Sections 4.3.1 to 4.3.3 of this report. The UK could learn from the solutions put in place to address problems affecting rural areas in other settings. The British Medical Association has recommended that rural areas should have policy distinct from that applied in urban areas.50 In response to this, the Department of Health and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs funded the development of ‘Rural Proofing for Health: A Toolkit for Primary Care Organisations’. This assists service providers with ‘rural proofing’ service delivery by considering the rural dimension and ensuring that rural communities are not disadvantaged in relation to their needs for health services (www.ruralhealthgoodpractice.org.uk). The Institute for Rural Health (www.rural-health. ac.uk) also aims to ensure that rural health issues remain high on policy and service delivery 4.3.1Centralisation of services With the emphasis being placed upon reducing risk in pregnancy and childbirth, smaller community maternity units are closing or reducing the services that they currently deliver. Maternity services are being centralised to larger specialist obstetric and neonatal services in hospitals usually located in larger cities, as this is deemed safer.51, 52 The centralisation of obstetric and neonatal services occurring in the UK and other high-income countries,53 is also driven by cost, safety and the difficulties in recruitment and retention of rural healthcare staff.51, 52, 54 It is important to note that for low-risk multiparous women, birth at home or in a midwifery-led unit is not associated with an increased perinatal mortality rate compared to consultant-led or co-located midwifery-led units.55 However, the rate of transfer to consultant-led units, even for multiparous patients was 12%. This has important implications for rural practice (see section 4.3.2). 18 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Centralisation of maternity services occurred in Cumbria following public consultation in 2000/2001.56,57 At this time, Helme Chase Maternity Unit in Westmorland General Hospital (a then consultant-led unit) was facing possible closure or a reduction of services. As a result of the consultation, Helme Chase became a midwifery-led unit, with complicated pregnancies being transferred to Lancaster Royal Infirmary, a consultant-led unit 23 miles away. neonatal death and post neonatal death in rural areas where there was weak or no urban influence (even when differences in maternal characteristics were accounted for).59 While poor quality perinatal and infant care may be a cause, other unmeasured risk factors (such as maternal smoking) may also have an effect. A second Canada-based study discovered that although there was a lower rate of caesarean section in rural areas, older women in rural areas had an increased risk of perinatal mortality compared to urban women; and the risk of perinatal death increased with distance to the nearest hospital.53 In Canada, rural mothers had low attendance at prenatal care and, of greater relevance, were more likely to smoke, drink alcohol during pregnancy, reside in a low-income community, and had a previous low birthweight baby or preterm birth. It is not clear whether these sociodemographic factors are true for rural populations in the UK or Cumbria. Another Canadian study highlighted adverse effects on physical and emotional wellbeing for women from lower socioeconomic groups who have to travel away from their home community to give birth (www.ruralmatresearch.net/ourresearch. htm). These data suggest that centralising highrisk care in less accessible distant urban centres, may promote a situation that increases the risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity in rural areas and therefore careful consideration should be given to such action. 4.3.2Rural isolation and distance travelled to access services Money for public services is allocated by Parliament in proportion to the number of people living in an area without consideration of distance travelled to access these services.57 The provision and closure of rural maternity services is taking place against a backdrop of other service closures in rural areas including schools, libraries, post offices, pharmacies, police stations and the termination of local bus services.57 As these public services are closed or centralised, those from rural communities face longer journeys to access services. In the case of maternity services, this can limit personal choice regarding how and where they give birth to their babies, as they have to travel further to access what may be considered a less personalised, but safer service in a larger obstetric unit.58 This may be seen to accentuate rather than address inequalities.48 Alternatively, this may be perceived as beneficial as it gives access to consultant-based obstetric care and services. Two Canadian studies suggest that the risk of perinatal death increases in proportion to distance travelled to get to a consultant-led unit.53,59 These findings should nonetheless be interpreted with caution, as the distances compared by these studies, (50-149km and ≥150km) are far greater than in Cumbria. 4.3.3Skilled staff Whilst Maternity Matters goes some way to defining what a skilled maternity workforce would ideally be comprised of, it does not say how this may be specifically translated to meet the needs of rural areas.22 This is dealt with at a local level, which leads to variation in delivery and availability of services. Evidence provided from research in Scotland suggests that midwives, GPs and other healthcare professionals involved in providing maternity services in rural areas require rural-specific training, involving wider skills and competencies A study in Canada compared urban and rural areas with strong metropolitan influence to rural areas with weak or no urban influence and found that there was a significantly greater risk of poor perinatal outcomes including stillbirth, 19 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 within the community to maximise opportunities for local delivery and decision making based on robust risk assessments.60 It recommends that in order to assess and manage risk, the available levels of maternity care within local access need to be measured and from this, strategies to minimise risk should be considered and then implemented. This would include identifying high-risk pregnancies where midwife-led care is inappropriate and obstetric-led care is vital. It also suggests that midwives must be competent in identifying risk factors and initiating transfer to secondary or tertiary care for ill mothers and babies, where required. than for those employed in more urban settings.60, 61, 62, 63 This is attributed to the fact that in some instances, decision making and the implications associated with these decisions, are made without onsite specialist support. Furthermore, many interventions must be delivered in a timely manner to prevent serious complications, thus local staff must be able to respond promptly. Whilst this may not be applicable in all cases, it is very pertinent in the case of rural, midwifery-led maternity units. The Models of Care outlined by the Remote and Rural Midwifery ServiceI, states maternity care in remote and rural areas should be integrated “There will be local variations in the make-up of maternity teams and therefore some GPs will remain directly or indirectly involved in the delivery of maternity care to low risk women, especially women who have existing co-morbidities or intercurrent illness. Depending on the level of care provided within local primary care settings, the GP will be required to have a minimum set of maternity skills to manage such situations and this will therefore require to be reflected in their training.” Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare: The Remote and Rural Midwifery Service , The Remote and Rural Steering Group, NHS Scotland, 2008 The Expert Group on Acute Maternity Service (EGAMS) in Scotland also produced an overview report which included a list of core skills and competencies required for adequate maternity service delivery to low-risk women and the management of obstetric emergencies in rural and non-obstetric units (see Box 5).62,63 These skills included amongst others: management of normal delivery; management of breech delivery; basic obstetric life support; neonatal resuscitation; and initial and discharge examination of the newborn. Within this report, there was also a high level of self-assessed competence for breech delivery among rural midwives compared to urban midwives who reported themselves as more competent for initial and discharge examination of newborns.62 Findings from two studies exploring maternity services in rural areas of Scotland highlighted differences in skills required in rural maternity services compared to urban settings.51, 61 In addition, they indicated an increased risk of poor birth outcomes and the greater need for appropriate services to meet the needs of these rural populations. Staff in rural areas felt the need to stress their skills and competence when assessing risk and deciding upon transfer of women with complications to staff in receiving urban units. The studies demonstrated high levels of reported competence among rural maternity care staff, particularly skills in risk management and decision making, however, few felt competent at ventouse lift-out delivery and ultrasound scanning. The Remote and Rural Health Project was established to develop a framework for sustainable healthcare within remote and rural Scotland. The Remote and Rural Midwifery Service was implemented as part of this project. For further information see: www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/06084423/3 I 20 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 5: Core skills required (mainly by midwives) within remote and non-obstetric units include: • Confident to provide intrapartum care in a low technology setting; • Comfortable to use embodied knowledge and skills to assess a woman and her baby as opposed to using technology; • Able to let labour ‘be’ and not interfere unnecessarily; • Confident to avert or manage problems that might arise; • Willing to employ other options to manage pain without access to epidurals; • Responsible for outcomes without access to on site specialist assistance; and • Confident to trust the process of labour and be flexible with respect to time. Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services – Reference Report, Scottish Executive Health Department, 2002 Case study: Insights from users and providers of maternity services in England48: Some key findings This research looked at the experiences of having a baby (antenatal care, labour and birth, to the period after birth) in four rural areas in England: Eden, Berwick-upon-Tweed, South Holland and North Devon. Highlighted below are some of the key findings (specific to the themes already outlined above): Pregnancy • Rural midwives have a large geographical area of coverage and low birth rates, which can equate to high costs that are not adequately considered during funding allocation. • Rurality impacts upon the ability of women to access antenatal services and classes and this is further exacerbated by differences in socioeconomic status and age of women. For example, older women from professional backgrounds are more likely to access antenatal classes and look for information about classes compared to teenage or young expectant mothers; they are also more likely to have access to transport if they need to travel to appointments and classes outside of their local area. Where there was a lack of classes due to shortage of midwives, those older, more affluent women looked for other options such as attending National Childbirth Trust classes, which are delivered at an additional cost – something that may not be within the reach of many of the younger expectant mothers. • Inconvenience of travelling to hospital - older expectant mothers did not mind travelling to hospital if they considered that they were receiving the best care. They were also more likely to have their own transport and attend with partners. Younger women were less likely to have access to their own transport, having to use public transport, thus making hospital visits potentially very disruptive and time consuming. It was suggested that this could be addressed through the delivery of mobile services, decentralising services to GPs and up-skilling midwives and other professionals. continued… 21 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Giving birth and beyond • Level of rurality impacts upon provision of homebirth, as a higher number of midwives are needed to deliver services and poor transport infrastructures make transport difficult. • Centralising specialist services but providing more community-based maternity care is the ideal, however, the reality is/was that the availability of local midwife-led units is limited. • Maternity Matters22 recommends that fewer, more comprehensive specialised maternity services are provided in conjunction with strengthened community-based maternity services. However, this proves difficult when applied to rural areas as these specialist services have a larger geographical area to cover. • Rural areas can attract high proportions of migrant workers where dissemination of information is often difficult, particularly as migrants may not speak English. • It was highlighted that professionals do not take into account the full extent the impact of access to services on those living in rural areas can have. Postnatal care is delivered in local health clinics, which can mean travelling some distance for those who live in rural areas. Those who had to rely on public transport were less likely to attend these appointments. Useful Resources related to rural care • Commission for Rural Communities www.defra.gov.uk/crc • Institute for Rural Health www.rural-health.ac.uk • Remote and Rural Areas Resource Initiative (RARARI) www.rarari.org.uk • Rural Proofing for Health Project www.ruralhealthforum.org.uk/proofing.htm 22 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 5. Intelligence Hospital admission data Data relating to hospital admissions was extracted from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for Cumbria. An extract was taken according to specific criteria. These criteria included all hospital episodes for the five years from 2005 to 2009 by delivery method using the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys: Classification of Interventions and Procedures, 4th Revision codes (OPCS-4; OPCS, 1993). The OPCS-R codes relate to any procedure associated with pregnancy, birth and the six week period following birth (puerperium). These procedures include surgical inductions (R14) J, other (i.e. medical) inductions (R15), elective caesarean section (R17), emergency caesarean section (R18), forceps delivery (R21), vacuum delivery (R22), all normal deliveries (R24.9) and episiotomies (R27.1). 5.1 Definitions Population statistics used to produce rates are from the Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates.64 Where possible, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are presented in the charts, displayed as error bars. They illustrate the limits within which we can be 95% confident the true value lies. If one area’s confidence intervals do not overlap that of another area, the difference between the areas is described as statistically significant. Where available and appropriate, the most recent five years of data have been presented. Where possible, data for Cumbria Primary Care Trust has been compared to the four ‘most similar’ and the ‘least similar’ areas as determined by the Office for National Statistics Area Classification for Health Areas.65 These areas are, in decreasing similarity: ONS Deaths Extract Data for the period 2005 to 2009 was extracted from the ONS deaths database for Cumbria and its local authorities. In many cases numbers were too small to publish. 1. North Yorkshire and York (most similar) 2. Somerset 3. Devon 5.2 Population summary 4. Great Yarmouth and Waveney In 2010, there were an estimated 494,350 people living in Cumbria, 49% of whom were male (243,614) and 51% were female (250,736) (Figure 1). Of the female population, 34% (84,091) were of childbearing age (15-44 years old); lower than the proportions for both the North West (39%) and England (40%) (Table 2). Across the local authorities this proportion ranged from 30% in South Lakeland to 37% in Barrow-In-Furness and Carlisle. 5. East Riding of Yorkshire (least similar) Some of the numbers/rates within the report are based on small numbers of events. Due to the sensitive nature of some of the data and to avoid potential identification of an individual, numbers of five or less have been suppressed. Suppressed numbers are represented by an asterisk symbol (*), while data that was unavailable are represented by ‘n/a’. Across the five comparative Primary Care Trusts, Somerset had the most similar number of females (87,332) to Cumbria (Figure 2, Table 3). It is important to consider that when working with small numbers, a change by just one event can impact on the resulting rate, for this reason we would advise that caution is taken when interpreting this data. Surgical induction = artificial rupture of membranes (ARM). J 23 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 1: Population structure of Cumbria, 2010. Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates Table 2: Female population aged 15 to 44 years. Cumbrian local authorities, North West and England, 2010. Area Females aged 15-44 years Percentage of total female population aged 15-44 years Cumbria 84,091 34% North West 1,365,353 39% England 10,482,671 40% Allerdale 15,690 33% Barrow-in-Furness 13,152 37% Carlisle 19,537 37% Copeland 11,965 35% Eden 8,097 31% South Lakeland 15,650 30% Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates 24 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 2: Female population aged 15 to 44 years. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates Table 3: Female population aged 15 to 44 years. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. Females aged 15-44 years Percentage of total female population aged 15-44 years Cumbria 84,091 34% North Yorkshire and York 147,183† 36% Somerset 87,332 32% Devon 124,747 32% Great Yarmouth and Waveney 36,700* 33% East Riding of Yorkshire 56,109 33% Area * This is the total value for Great Yarmouth (17,086) and Waveney (19,614) † This is the total value for North Yorkshire (100,688) and York (46,495) Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates 25 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 5.3 Fertility North West and England and Wales values (60.3 compared to 65.3 and 65.4 respectively). 5.3.1General Fertility Rate In Cumbria during 2010, the General Fertility Rate varied across the local authorities from 53.8 in South Lakeland to 65.3 in Carlisle (Figure 4). South Lakelands’ General Fertility Rate was significantly lower than that for Cumbria. The largest percentage increase from 2006 to 2010 was in Allerdale (21.7%), whilst the lowest was in Barrow-in-Furness (1.8%) (Table 4). The General Fertility Rate is the number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years.66 From 2006 to 2010 the General Fertility Rate increased across Cumbria, the North West and England and Wales (Figure 3, Table 4). The largest percentage increase was in Cumbria (10.2%), compared to increases of 8.8% in the North West and 8.6% across England and Wales. As in previous years, during 2010 the General Fertility Rate in Cumbria was lower than both the In 2010, across the comparative Primary Care Trusts, Cumbria’s General Fertility Rate (60.3) was most similar to that of Devon (59.1) (Figure 5). Figure 3: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics (births datasets and mid-year population estimates) 26 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 4: General Fertility Rate by local authority. Cumbria, 2010. Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics (births datasets and mid-year population estimates) Table 4: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria and Cumbrian Local Authorities, England and Wales and North West, 2006 to 2010. Area 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 % change 2006-10 Cumbria 54.7 56.2 58.6 59.3 60.3 10.2 North West 60.0 61.6 63.8 63.8 65.3 8.8 England and Wales 60.2 62.0 63.8 63.7 65.4 8.6 Allerdale 53.0 60.0 59.9 61.2 64.5 21.7 Barrow-in-Furness 57.4 57.3 59.1 57.1 56.4 1.8 Carlisle 58.5 56.7 62.9 63.1 65.3 19.5 Copeland 59.3 56.8 58.7 58.5 62.3 11.0 Eden 54.2 52.1 55.2 57.5 55.8 18.3 South Lakeland 46.8 52.6 53.5 55.9 53.8 11.8 Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics (births datasets and mid-year population estimates) 27 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 5: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. Source: NWPHO from NCHOD and Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates. Table 5: General Fertility Rate. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006 to 2010. Area General Fertility Rate 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Cumbria 54.7 56.2 58.6 59.3 60.3 North Yorkshire and York 51.9 52.2 55.6 55.1 54.1 Somerset 57.3 58.5 61.5 63.8 64.9 Devon 52.0 54.4 53.4 58.4 59.1 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 58.8 60.7 65.1 61.1 65.0 East Riding of Yorkshire 52.6 54.4 53.4 55.3 55.2 Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics 28 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 5.3.2Total Fertility Rate Cumbria (10.9%), whilst England and Wales and the North West also saw increases, albeit lower (8.1% and 7.4% respectively). The Total Fertility Rate (also referred to as total period fertility rate) is a single measure of fertility representing the average number of children per woman that would be born to a group of women if current age-specific patterns of fertility persisted throughout the childbearing life. It is used as an indicator of family size. In 2010, the Total Fertility Rate was 2.03 children for every woman in Cumbria, ranging from 1.84 in Barrow-in-Furness to 2.23 in Allerdale, however as we were unable to calculate confidence intervals it is not known if these differences were significant (Figure 6). Between 2006 and 2010, the largest increase in Total Fertility Rate across the local authorities was in Allerdale (23.9%), while Barrow-in-Furness was the only local authority to see a slight decline (-2.6%; Table 6). Between 2006 and 2010 the Total Fertility Rate increased across Cumbria, the North West and England and Wales (Figure 6). Whilst a slight decline was seen between 2008 and 2009 for both the North West and England and Wales, the Total Fertility Rate in Cumbria continued to increase. The largest overall increase from 2006 to 2010 was seen in Out of the comparative Primary Care Trusts, Cumbria had the third highest total fertility rate in 2010 (Figure 8). Figure 6: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. Source: NWPHO from NHS IC Compendium of Population Health Indicators 29 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 7: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbrian local authorities, 2010. Source: NWPHO from NHS IC Compendium of Population Health Indicators Table 6: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, England and Wales and North West, 2006 to 2010. Area 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 % change 2006 to 2010 Cumbria 1.83 1.89 1.99 2.01 2.03 10.9 North West 1.89 1.95 2.01 2.00 2.03 7.4 England & Wales 1.85 1.91 1.97 1.96 2.00 8.1 Allerdale 1.80 2.08 2.06 2.14 2.23 23.9 Barrow-in-Furness 1.89 1.87 1.94 1.89 1.84 -2.6 Carlisle 1.87 1.81 2.02 1.99 2.05 9.6 Copeland 1.99 1.91 1.96 1.95 2.06 3.5 Eden 1.88 1.83 2.00 2.08 2.04 8.5 South Lakeland 1.61 1.85 1.91 2.04 1.95 21.1 Source: NWPHO from NHS IC Compendium of Population Health Indicators 30 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 8: Total Fertility Rate per 1,000 women aged 11 to 49 years. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. Source: NWPHO from NHS IC Compendium of Population Health Indicators Table 7: Total Fertility Rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years). Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006 to 2010. Area Total Fertility Rate 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Cumbria 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 North Yorkshire and York 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.8 Somerset 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.2 Devon 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.9 2.0 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 2.0 2.0 2.2 1.9 2.1 East Riding of Yorkshire 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 Data only available to one decimal place. Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics and NHS IC Compendium of Population Health Indicators 31 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 5.4 Live births and England and Wales values (12.9 and 13.1 per 1,000 respectively in 2010; Table 8). From 2006 to 2010 there were 25,181 births in Cumbria, equivalent to an average of 97 per week. Figure 9 shows the live birth rate (crude rateK) for Cumbria Primary Care Trust compared to the North West and England and Wales over the five year period 2006 to 2010. There was a slight increase in the live birth rate in Cumbria from 9.9 per 1,000 population in 2006 to 10.3 per 1,000 population in 2010, however, it is consistently lower than both the North West When looking at the live birth rate by local authority (Figure 10), Carlisle had a significantly higher rate (12.2 per 1,000 population) than all of the other Cumbrian local authorities. South Lakeland and Eden had significantly lower rates than the other local authorities, (8.1 per 1,000 population and 8.7 per 1,000 population respectively). Both South Lakeland and Eden had live birth rates that were significantly lower than the rate for Cumbria. Figure 9: Live birth rate (crude rate per 1,000 population). Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics (births datasets and mid-year population estimates). K Crude birth rate is the rate of live births per 1,000 population of all ages. 32 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 10: Live birth rate (crude rate per 1,000 population) by local authority. Cumbria, 2010. Source: NWPHO from NCHOD and Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates. Table 8: Number of live births and crude birth rate (per 1,000 population). Cumbrian local authorities, North West and England and Wales, 2006 to 2010. Area Cumbria North West 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate No. Rate 4,917 9.9 4,998 10.1 5,118 10.3 5,080 10.3 5,068 10.3 84,155 12.3 85,974 12.5 88,167 12.8 87,549 12.7 89,199 12.9 England and Wales 669,601 12.5 690,013 12.8 708,711 13.0 706,248 12.9 723,165 13.1 Allerdale 891 9.5 1,001 10.6 983 10.4 983 10.4 1,012 10.8 Barrow-in-Furness 796 11.2 796 11.2 815 11.5 763 10.8 742 10.5 Carlisle 1,170 11.1 1,123 10.6 1,225 11.7 1,255 12.0 1,275 12.2 Copeland 774 11.1 735 10.5 747 10.7 715 10.3 745 10.7 Eden 476 9.2 454 8.8 472 9.1 478 9.2 452 8.7 South Lakeland 810 7.8 889 8.5 876 8.4 886 8.5 842 8.1 Source: NWPHO from NCHOD and Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates. 33 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 When looking at the comparative Primary Care Trusts, across all years (2006-2010), Cumbria has the third lowest live birth rate (Table 9). Table 9: Number of live births and crude birth rate (per 1,000 population). Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006 to 2010. Area 2006 2007 Cumbria 4,917 9.9 4,998 10.1 5,118 10.3 5,080 10.3 North Yorkshire and York 7,755 9.9 Devon Rate No. Rate 2009 Rate Somerset No. 2008 No. No. Rate 2010 No. Rate 5,068 10.3 7,793 10.0 8,289 10.0 8,093 10.5 7,967† 9.9 5,280 10.2 5,390 10.3 5,614 10.7 5,654 10.8 5,671 10.8 6,802 7,372 9.8 9.2 7,067 9.5 7,172 9.6 7,366 9.9 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 2,187 10.3 2,257 10.6 2,405 11.2 2,268 10.6 2,384* 11.1 East Riding of Yorkshire 3,071 9.3 3,151 9.4 3,064 9.1 3,136 9.3 3,097 9.1 *This is the total for Great Yarmouth and Waveney combined † This is the total value for North Yorkshire and York combined Source: NWPHO from NCHOD and Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates. 5.5 Maternal age 8%, the percentage of births to teenage mothers (women under 20 years) in Cumbria was significantly higher than England and Wales (6%). In 2010, the largest proportion of births in Cumbria were to mothers aged 25 to 29 years (30%), whilst for England and Wales, the largest proportions were among 25 to 29 year olds and 30 to 34 year olds (28% each) (Figure 11, Figure 12). From 2006 to 2010, the number of births to mothers aged 40 years and over in Cumbria decreased by 6%, the largest percentage decrease of all of the age groups. The largest percentage increase was seen in the 25 to 29 year old group (13%) (Table 10). In 2010, the percentage of births to mothers aged below 25 years was significantly higher in Cumbria (28%) compared to England and Wales (25%). Furthermore, at 34 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 11: Percentage of live births by age of mother. England and Wales, 2006 to 2010#. #Figures for 2009 do not add up to 100% Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics Figure 12: Percentage of births by age of mother. Cumbria, 2006 to 2010. Source: Office for National Statistics 35 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table 10: Number of births by mothers age, Cumbria 2006 to 2010. Age group 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 % change 2006-10 All ages 4,917 4,998 5,118 5,080 5,068 3.1 Under 20 374 348 378 400 392 4.8 20 - 24 947 998 1,029 1,072 1,019 7.6 25 - 29 1,326 1,350 1,492 1,426 1,500 13.1 30 - 34 1,351 1,334 1,224 1,248 1,283 -5.0 35 - 39 749 810 815 766 714 -4.7 40+ 170 158 180 336 160 -5.9 Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics 5.6 Birthweight West and England and Wales (Figure 13). However, across these years, the North West and England and Wales saw an overall percentage decrease in low birthweight births, while Cumbria saw an increase. Low birthweight may be the result of preterm birth (before 37 weeks’ gestation) or due to restricted fetal growth or both. Ideally, birthweight would be evaluated using customised birthweight centiles, in which the birthweight is adjusted for gestation at birth, gender, maternal height, weight and ethnicity. Unfortunately, the data available was insufficient. Therefore, low birthweight has been defined using the World Health Organization recommendation as weight at birth of less than 2,500 grams. Very low birthweight was defined as less than 1,500 grams. There was no consistent pattern in the proportion of low birthweight births across Cumbrian local authorities between 2006 and 2010, as numbers were relatively small (Table 11). There were no significant differences in low birthweight births across the local authorities during 2010 (Figure 14). The percentage of low birthweight births increased across Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness and Copeland from 2006 to 2010. 5.6.1Low birthweight Across the comparative Primary Care Trusts in 2010, Great Yarmouth and Waveney (8.7%) and East Riding of Yorkshire (7.7%) both had a higher percentage of low birthweight births than Cumbria (6.8%) (Figure 15). In Cumbria, the percentages of low birthweight births between 2006 and 2010 were consistently lower than the North 36 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 13: Percentage of low birthweight births. Cumbria, North West and England and Wales, 2006-2010. Source: NWPHO from NCHOD Figure 14: Percentage of low birthweight births. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2010. Source: NWPHO from NCHOD 37 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table 11: Number and percentage of low birthweight births. England and Wales, North West, Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2006-2010. Low birthweight (<2500 grams) 2006 Cumbria 2007 2008 2009 2010 n % n % n % n % n % 317 6.4 328 6.6 355 6.9 366 7.2 328 6.8 North West 6,853 8.1 6,554 7.6 6,743 7.6 6,540 7.5 6,336 7.2 England and Wales 52,487 7.9 51,577 7.5 52,954 7.5 52,740 7.5 52,638 7.3 Allerdale 51 5.7 72 7.2 69 7.0 52 5.3 69 6.8 Barrow-in-Furness 45 5.6 56 7.0 75 9.2 53 6.9 46 6.4 Carlisle 93 7.9 81 7.2 83 6.8 111 8.8 84 6.6 Copeland 45 5.8 45 6.1 54 7.2 57 7.9 58 8.4 Eden 32 6.7 23 5.1 32 6.8 33 6.9 25 5.7 South Lakeland 51 6.3 51 5.7 42 4.8 60 6.8 46 7.0 Source: NWPHO from NCHOD Figure 15: Percentage of low birthweight births (less than 2,500grams). Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010. Source: NWPHO from NCHOD 38 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table 12: Percentage of low birthweight babies. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2006-2010. Percentage low birthweight (<2500 grams) 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Cumbria 6.4 6.6 6.9 7.2 6.8 North Yorkshire and York 6.3 6.5 5.9 n/a 6.4 Somerset 6.5 6.6 6.5 7.3 6.4 Devon 6.8 6.3 6.4 6.0 5.9 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 9.1 6.8 6.8 8.5 8.7 East Riding of Yorkshire 5.9 6.2 5.9 6.1 7.7 Source: NWPHO from NCHOD 5.6.2Very low birthweight Cumbria from 2006 (0.9%) to 2010 (1.2%). Data were unavailable at local authority level. There was little variation in the proportion of very low birthweight births (less than 1500 grams) across Cumbria, the North West and England during 2010 (1.2%, 1.3% and 1.4% respectively) (Table 13). There was no significant increase in the percentage of very low birthweight births in Across the comparative Primary Care Trusts during 2010, there was little variation in the proportion of very low birthweight births, ranging from 0.9% in Devon and Somerset to 1.8% in Great Yarmouth and Waveney. Table 13: Number and percentage of very low birthweight babies. England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2006-2010. Very low birthweight (<1500 grams) 2006 n 2007 % 2008 n % n 2009 % n % 2010 n % Cumbria 42 0.9 n/a n/a 61 1.2 70 1.4 56 1.2 North West 1,203 1.4 1,115 1.3 1,233 1.4 1,214 1.4 1,135 1.3 England and Wales 9,849 1.5 9,344 1.4 10,287 1.5 9,924 1.4 10,184 1.4 Source: NWPHO from NCHOD 5.7 Mortality respectively per 1,000 total births (Figure 16). Overall, the early neonatal mortality rate is lower than both the perinatal mortality and stillbirth rates, with a decline also seen from 1993 to 2010 (from 3.2 to 2.3 per 1,000 total births). More recently, the stillbirth rate in England and Wales has not significantly altered since 2005. In 2010, the rate of perinatal mortality in England and Wales was lower than the North West (7.4 and 7.6 per 1,000 total births respectively). While stillbirth, perinatal and early neonatal mortality data is available from 1978, it is only possible to compare the years 1993 onwards as the definitions of stillbirth and perinatal mortality changed in 1992. From 1993 to 2010, the perinatal mortality rate and the stillbirth rate in England and Wales, declined from 8.9 to 7.4 and 5.7 to 5.1 39 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 16: Stillbirth and perinatal mortality, England and Wales, 1993-2010. Source: NWPHO from Office for National Statistics Child Mortality statistics 5.7.1 Stillbirths The stillbirth rate for Cumbria in 2008-10 was 3.7 per 1,000 live and stillbirths, lower than both the North West and England and Wales rates (both 5.1 per 1,000 total births) (Table 14). When compared to England and Wales and the North West, the stillbirth rate in Cumbria has followed the same downward trend from 200406 to 2008-10, whilst having lower rates overall across the measured years (Figure 17). 40 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 17: Stillbirth rate (crude rate per 1,000 births). England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2004-06 to 2008-10 (pooled data)L. Source: NWPHO from NCHOD and Compendium of Public Health Indicators Table 14: Stillbirth rate (crude rate per 1,000 births). England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2004-06 to 2008-10 (pooled data). Area Stillbirth rate per 1,000 births 2004-06 2007-09 2008-10 Cumbria 4.2 3.9 3.7 North West 5.5 5.2 5.1 England and Wales 5.5 5.1 5.1 Source: NWPHO from NCHOD Note: Data was unavailable at local authority level It was not possible to compare Cumbria with the comparative Primary Care Trusts over the same time-frame (i.e. 2004-06 to 2008-10) as some of the data for 2004-06 was missing (Table 15). In 2008-10, Cumbria had the lowest rate of stillbirths per 1,000 total births (3.7); however this difference was not significant (Figure 18, Table 15). There is some overlap as 2007-09 and 2008-10 will both contain 2009 data. L 41 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 18: Stillbirths rate per 1,000 total births. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2008-2010 (pooled data). Source: NWPHO from NCHOD Table 15: Stillbirths rate per 1,000 total births. England and Wales, North West, Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2004-06 to 2008-2010 (pooled data). Stillbirth rate per 1,000 births 2004-06 2007-09 2008-10 Cumbria 4.2 3.9 3.7 North Yorkshire and York n/a 4.6 4.5 Somerset 4.1 4.9 5.2 Devon 5.4 4.4 4.2 Great Yarmouth and Waveney n/a 5.3 4.5 East Riding of Yorkshire n/a 4.4 5.7 Source: NWPHO from NCHOD 42 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 5.7.2Early neonatal deaths There were no significant differences in the percentage of early neonatal deaths across Cumbria’s local authorities (Figure 19). When comparing Cumbria and the Cumbrian local authorities to the North West, again there does not appear to be any significant differences. These figures and accompanying interpretation should, however, be viewed with caution due to the small numbers used in the analysis. In England and Wales there has been a steady decrease in the early neonatal death rate from 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 1993 to 2.3 in 2010 (Figure 16) In 2009, there were 10 early neonatal deaths in Cumbria (a rate of 1.9 per 1,000 live births). It is not possible to generate rates at local authority level due to the small numbers involved. The LSOA data used to examine deaths under 7 days is based upon the usual residence of the deceased. Therefore, such data would include those cases where babies might have died outside the Cumbria area after being transferred to a special care unit. Information on actual place of death is available in the dataset but is not routinely used in analyses. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Deaths Extract for 2005-2009 showed that there were 55 deaths in Cumbria recorded that were under seven days. In the North West, there were 1,126 deaths under seven days during this period. Figure 19: Number of deaths under 7 days as a percentage of total births. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2005-2009. Source: NWPHO from ONS Deaths Extract 43 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 From the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Deaths Extract information, there are some general statements that can be made regarding early neonatal deaths at Cumbria Primary Care Trust level: specific to perinatal period; haemorrhagic and haematological disorders of the fetus; and new born and other disorders. 5.7.3Perinatal mortality rate When compared to England and Wales and the North West, the perinatal mortality rate in Cumbria has followed the same downward trend from 2004-06 to 200810 and has lower rates overall (across the measured years) when compared to these two areas (Figure 20). • Of the deaths under seven days, 47% were males and 53% females. • Of these deaths, 87% were attributed to certain conditions originating in the perinatal period, with the remaining 13% attributed to congenital malformations and deformations and chromosomal abnormalities. In the three year period from 2008 to 2010, the perinatal mortality rate for Cumbria was 5.6 per 1,000 total births, lower than both England (7.5) and the North West (7.6), although this difference was not significant. • When looking at ‘certain conditions originating in the perinatal period’, we can see that 35% of deaths were due to transitory endocrine and metabolic disorders specific to the perinatal period and 31% due to respiratory and cardiovascular disorders specific to the perinatal period. The remainder were attributed to; infections Perinatal mortality data for Cumbrian local authorities was examined, however no significant differences were seen. This may be due to the small numbers involved. Figure 20: Perinatal mortality, rate per 1,000 total births. England and Wales, North West and Cumbria, 2004-06 to 2008-10. Source: NWPHO from Compendium of Public Health Indicators 44 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table 16: Perinatal mortality, rate per 1,000 total births. England and Wales, North West, Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2004-06 to 2008-10. Area Perinatal mortality rate per 1,000 total births 2004-06 2007-09 2008-10 Cumbria 6.3 6.2 5.6 North West 8.2 7.7 7.6 England and Wales 8.0 7.6 7.5 North Yorkshire and York n/a 6.7 6.6 Somerset 6.4 6.9 7.0 Devon 8.2 6.2 6.0 Great Yarmouth and Waveney n/a 7.6 6.6 East Riding of Yorkshire n/a 5.9 7.9 Source: NWPHO from NCHOD Examining perinatal mortality rates across the comparative Primary Care Trusts reveals no significant differences (Figure 21). Cumbria had the lowest rate of perinatal mortality (5.6 per 1,000 total births) while East Riding and Yorkshire had the highest (7.9 per 1,000 total births). Figure 21: Perinatal mortality rate per 1,000 total births across England, North West, Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2008-10 (pooled data). Source: NWPHO from Compendium of Public Health Indicators 45 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 5.8 Labour/Delivery section. Of the remaining cases, 67.3% of women went into spontaneous labour while 20.4% were induced (Figure 22). These data are similar to that reported for the rest of England and Wales. 5.8.1Method of onset of labour Analysis of operation procedure data from Hospital Episode Statistics for Cumbria from 2005-2009 found that data were incomplete; the onset of labour was unknown in 25% of cases. Excluding these unknowns, 12.3% of cases were delivered by elective caesarean Across the local authorities, the proportion of spontaneous births varied from 70.2% in Carlisle to 62.6% in Barrow-in-Furness (Table 17, Figure 22). Figure 22: Method of onset of labour. Cumbria, 2005 to 2009.* *Cases with an ‘unknown’ onset have been excluded. Source: NWPHO from Hospital Episode Statistics Table 17: Method of onset of labour. Cumbria and local authorities, 2005 to 2009.* Area Spontaneous Caesarean Surgical Induction Medical Induction n % n % n % Cumbria 11,823 67.3 2,151 12.3 538 3.1 n % 1,019 5.8 Allerdale 2,214 65.8 403 12.0 96 2.9 530 15.8 120 3.6 Barrow-in-Furness 1,598 62.6 419 16.4 132 5.2 Carlisle 3,133 70.2 414 9.3 128 2.9 190 7.4 214 8.4 520 11.7 268 Copeland 1,738 66.9 314 12.1 89 6.0 3.4 375 14.4 81 3.1 Eden 1,164 68.0 201 11.7 South Lakeland 1,976 68.9 400 13.9 34 2.0 187 10.9 126 7.4 59 2.1 223 7.8 210 7.3 *Excludes ‘unknown’ onset of labour. Source: NWPHO from Hospital Episode Statistics 46 n % Surgical and Medical Induction 2,025 11.5 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 5.8.2Method of delivery • The proportion of elective caesareans was significantly lower in Carlisle (8.2%) as compared to the other local authorities; Between 2005 and 2009 the majority of deliveries in Cumbria were normal (67.2%), followed by nonelective caesareans (12.5%) (Figure 23, Table 18). The pattern was similar across the local authorities, with a few significant differences to note: • The proportion of ventouse deliveries was significantly lower in Barrow-in-Furness (3.6%) than across all other local authorities; and • Delivery by forceps was significantly higher in South Lakeland (4.8%) than all other local authorities, with the exception of Eden (3.8%). • The proportion of normal deliveries was significantly higher in Barrow-in-Furness (70.7%) than all other local authorities, with the exception of Eden (67.4%); Figure 23: Method of delivery. Cumbria 2005 to 2009. Source: NWPHO from Hospital Episode Statistics 47 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table 18: Method of delivery. Cumbria and Cumbrian local authorities, 2005 to 2009. Area Assisted Cephalic Normal Non-elective Elective Forceps Ventouse vaginal abnormal deliveries caesarean caesarean delivery breech delivery n % n % n % n % n % n % n % Cumbria 15,536 67.2 2,891 12.5 2,387 10.3 1,413 6.1 676 2.9 99 0.4 123 0.5 Allerdale 2,809 64.6 588 13.5 477 11.0 331 7.6 94 2.2 14 0.3 24 0.6 Barrow-in-Furness 2,551 70.7 418 11.6 392 10.9 129 3.6 69 1.9 10 0.3 6 0.2 8.2 379 6.8 165 2.9 26 0.5 Carlisle 3,771 67.4 720 12.9 459 62 1.1 Copeland 2,161 64.6 428 12.8 373 11.2 276 8.3 67 2.0 17 0.5 5 0.1 Eden 1,495 67.4 251 11.3 239 10.8 105 4.7 84 3.8 14 0.6 18 0.8 South Lakeland 2,749 66.4 486 11.7 447 10.8 193 4.7 197 4.8 18 0.4 8 0.2 Source: NWPHO from Hospital Episode Statistics 5.8.3Person conducting delivery • The proportion of deliveries by a hospital doctor were significantly lower in Barrow-inFurness (25.5%) and South Lakeland (26.2%) and significantly higher in Allerdale (35.4%) and Copeland (35.6%) than for Cumbria overall (31.0%); The person conducting delivery was unknown for a quarter (25.2%) of cases in Cumbria during 2005 to 2009. Excluding the unknowns, almost two-thirds of all deliveries were conducted by a midwife (64.5%), while hospital doctors conducted 31.0% of deliveries (Figure 24). This pattern is repeated across the local authorities with some significant differences to note (Table 19). Excluding unknowns: • The proportion of deliveries conducted by a midwife was significantly lower in Allerdale (62.1%) and Carlisle (62.3%) and significantly higher in Barrow-in-Furness (69.7%) and South Lakeland (66.7%) as compared to Cumbria overall (64.5%). 48 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 24: Person conducting delivery. Cumbria, 2005 to 2009. Source: NWPHO from Hospital Episode Statistics Table 19: Person conducting delivery. Cumbria and local authorities, 2005 to 2009. Area Hospital doctor Midwife Other (inc. GP) n % n % n % Cumbria 5,398 31.0 11,223 64.5 768 4.4 Allerdale 1,198 35.4 2,105 62.1 85 2.5 Barrow-in-Furness 632 25.5 1,727 69.7 120 4.8 Carlisle 1,418 31.6 2,795 62.3 274 6.1 Copeland 931 35.6 1,667 63.7 17 0.7 Eden 501 29.8 1,104 65.6 77 4.6 South Lakeland 718 26.2 1,825 66.7 195 7.1 Source: NWPHO from Hospital Episode Statistics 5.9 Antenatal assessment England (84.2%) and the North West (83.9%). However, when examining data for the comparative Primary Care Trusts, Cumbria had the second lowest percentage being seen for antenatal assessment at 12 weeks - 89.0% (the lowest being Devon, 85.5%). North Yorkshire and York had the highest percentage (94.3%). In Cumbria, figures for January to March 2011 show that 89% of women had been seen by a midwife or a maternity healthcare professional, for health and social care assessment of needs, risks and choices by 12 completed weeks of pregnancy (Table 20). This was higher than the figures for both 49 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table 20: Antenatal assessment at 12 weeks, January to March 2011. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, North West and England and Wales. Area Antenatal assessment at 12 weeks % n Cumbria 89.0 1,411 North West 83.9 23,430 England 84.2 184,549 North Yorkshire and York 94.3 2,051 Somerset 89.9 1,540 Devon 85.5 2,191 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 92.9 695 East Riding of Yorkshire 91.0 725 Source: NWPHO from CHIMAT Infant Mortality Indicators and Department of Health Midwifery Statistics Q4 2010-11. 5.10Smoking in pregnancy Figure 25 looks at women who are smoking at the time of giving birth as a percentage of all maternities across the comparative Primary Care Trusts for 2010/11. In Cumbria, 16.1% of women smoked at delivery (as a percentage of all maternities), while the highest level of smoking was seen in Great Yarmouth and Waveney (24.6%) and the lowest in Devon (9.4%) In 2010/11, Cumbria and the North West had similar percentages of women who were smoking at the time of giving birth (as a percentage of all maternities) at 16.1% and 17.7% respectively. These were both higher than the percentage for England (13.5%). 50 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Figure 25: Smoking status at delivery: smokers as a percentage of all maternities. Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts, 2010/11. Source: Department of Health Smoking Status at Time of Delivery (SSATOD) 5.11 Workforce • High expenditure on maternity services does not necessarily equate to good outcomes. For example, East Riding of Yorkshire Primary Care Trust had the third highest cost per birth (£2,351) but had the highest reported rates of perinatal mortality and stillbirth. Data from the Child and Maternal Health Observatory (CHIMAT) on expenditure and other aspects of services for Cumbria and comparative Primary Care Trusts in 2010/11 are summarised in Table 21. The Maternity and Newborn Outcomes versus Expenditure tool is available at http://atlas. chimat.org.uk/IAS/ovet#maternity Further data charts for Cumbria and comparator Primary Care Trusts from this tool can be found in Appendix 6. Some key points for consideration are: • Compared to the comparator Primary Care Trusts, Cumbria had the lowest rate of perinatal mortality, the second highest cost per birth, as well as the second highest proportion of registered midwives per 1,000 births. 51 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Table 21: Outcomes and expenditure information for Cumbria Primary Care Trust and comparator Primary Care Trusts, 2010-11. PCT Perinatal Stillbirth mortality rate per rate per 1,000 1,000 births births Cost per birth (£) Obstetrics and Paediatric Registered Gynaecology consultants midwives consultants (FTE) per (FTE) per (FTE)* 1,000 1,000 per 1,000 births births births Cumbria 4.72 4.1 2,349 2.9 3.2 35.4 North Yorkshire and York 6.87 4.4 2,292 3.1 3.1 31.5 Somerset 5.79 4.4 2,291 2.6 3.3 31.2 Devon 5.81 3.6 2,274 2.9 3.7 37.8 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 5.02 2.5 2,351 3.0 4.2 32.2 East Riding of Yorkshire 9.31 6.1 2,339 2.3 2.8 32.4 *FTE = Full time equivalent 52 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 6. Maternity services in Cumbria • West Cumberland Hospital (Whitehaven) Consultant led; and Maternity services in Cumbria are provided by North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. There are four consultant led units and two midwife led units (see Box 6 for definitions): • Penrith Community Hospital - Midwife led. University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust • Furness General Hospital - Consultant led; North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust • Royal Lancaster Infirmary - Consultant led; and • Westmorland General Hospital (Helme Chase) - Midwife led. • Cumberland Infirmary (Carlisle) - Consultant led; Map 1: Location of maternity units in Cumbria. Source: North West Public Health Observatory. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. NWPHO/DH (licence 100020290). March 2011 53 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 6: Types of maternity unit Consultant led units Staffed with doctors, midwives and consultant obstetricians and can deal with complex and straightforward deliveries. These units can carry out all medical interventions in childbirth and have anaesthetists available to provide, for example, epidurals. Midwife led units Do not have consultants working there and only offer services to women who are likely to have uncomplicated natural births. These units provide an environment in which women are supported to give birth without medical intervention or high levels of medication for pain relief. Generally there are no anaesthetists or surgeons available. Should difficulties arise, women are quickly transferred to a large hospital. Dr Foster Birth Guide, www.drfosterhealth.co.uk/birth-guide 6.1 Service provision Further analysis of staffing in Cumbria Primary Care Trust can be found on the children’s services mapping website at: www. childrensmapping.org.uk/topics/maternity 6.1.1 Staffing levels Data from the Child and Maternal Health Observatory (CHIMAT) for 2010/11 reveals the following: 6.1.2 Developing and improving services North Cumbria • There were 2.9 consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology and 35.4 midwives per 1,000 births, higher than the England averages (2.5 and 30.1 per 1,000 births respectively). North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust has been working in numerous ways to improve maternity services in areas such as preconception care, pregnancy testing, antenatal and postnatal care and health education. • The majority of births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust in 2010/11 occurred at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, with 65.2% of all babies being born there. The focus of this work has been drawn from a number of areas of Maternity Matters22 with the aim of improving access to care for women at times and locations that are convenient.69 Some examples of this work are detailed in Box 7. • Cumbria Primary Care Trust spent on average, £2,349 per birth.68 54 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 7: Examples of work to improve maternity services, North Cumbria 1. North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust offers a Post Natal Listening Service to enable women to discuss any aspect of their maternity care. On discharge, all mothers are issued with a postcard to provide feedback on their experience – this can be either named or anonymous. Feedback is monitored by supervisors and midwives. Examples of action taken following patient feedback include; lengthening of entonox tubing to aid greater mobility during labour; and ensuring a birthing ball is available in every room. 2. North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust was highly commended in an awards programme for its provision of services to teenage parents across a wide geographic, mostly rural area. The Trust uses strategically placed groups and small satellite units to effectively reach pregnant teenagers across the region. This flexibility ensures that all teenage parents and parents-to-be have access locally to a named midwife with a specialist interest in teenage pregnancy, who can offer advice and support. Satellite services are provided on an ‘as and when’ basis if a pregnant teenager is unable to get to an existing unit, and support can be arranged on a one-to-one basis. Parent Craft classes are provided specifically for teenage mothers, providing a range of advice and support across a range of areas, such as cooking, baby care, benefits and lifestyle choices. South Cumbria national guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST) and is available for all maternity staff electronically with links from all staff computers. Some examples of work taking place across the Trust to improve maternity services are detailed in Box 8. University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust have developed a maternity dashboard, based on Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) guidance, to plan and improve their maternity services. 70 All maternity guidance has also been reviewed in line with 55 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 8: Working to improve maternity services, South Cumbria 1. The Fresh Eyes Approach to Cardiotocography (CTG) monitoring: Traditional CTG monitoring involves the interpretation of printed traces of fetal heart rate and maternal contractions, to provide an indication of the wellbeing of the foetus. It is widely felt that this system is open to misinterpretation. In March 2012, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust adopted a Fresh Eyes Approach71 aimed at enhancing the accuracy of CTG interpretation, by using a ‘buddy system’ whereby tracings are viewed by more than one person. The Trust reports that this new approach is already proving to help with improved and safer practice. 2. Following recommendations made in the Nursing and Midwifery Council review of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust,72 changes have been made in two areas: a) Governance arrangements: all maternity staff have been trained in incident reporting and are encouraged to pro-actively report risk and upload details to the risk register. Incident reporting has increased by 100% in the past year, with a significant decrease in harm reported. In addition a number of senior staff have been appointed; a governance lead now manages a midwifery risk manager, an audit midwife and a practice mentor to ensure continuation and development of robust governance arrangements. b) The role of supervisors of midwives: the role has been refocused to ensure supervisors are guided by their primary principle of ‘protecting the public’. In March 2012, the Nursing and Midwifery Council stated “there is evidence that supervisors of midwives are providing leadership and driving the cultural changes necessary to ensure the safety of women and their babies remain the focus of their activity”.73 The outcome of further Nursing and Midwifery Council inspection in June 2012 was that the monitoring of the role can now be handed back to the Local Supervising Authority demonstrating renewed confidence following continued improvements. Following the report, other areas in the country have picked up on failings within their own organisations around the supervision of midwives and have used lessons learnt from University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust to improve practise within their own service. 3. Significant effort has been invested in looking at organisational culture within the maternity directorate across the Trust health economy over the past 18 months. Whilst previously, midwives had seen themselves as part of a locality, the aim was to try and change this so they saw themselves as part of a cross bay service with the same goals and aspirations. Following consultation with all maternity staff about their values and beliefs in relation to care they or their family would expect to receive, a philosophy of care has been developed. Once finalised, staff will be asked to commit to the philosophy which will be clearly displayed across the three University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust sites. 56 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 6.1.3Mapping local service provision was initially sourced from the Dr. Foster Birth Guide, which contains data for each of the hospitals as supplied by the units themselves, but only for the financial period 2006/07.74 A list was sent out to the respective Trusts for confirmation and update where applicable. This section contains information gathered through a mapping exercise conducted as part of this study during June and July 2011. A number of key contacts within each Trust, such as Heads of Midwifery and Children’s Commissioners were contacted and asked to provide information on local service provision and best practice. This is also supported by further information that was requested from the Trusts asking them about the services they offered; what process they have in place to ensure quality and that national standards are met; particular issues/ challenges they face; examples of success; and future plans and developments. Table 22 and Table 23 show maternity services that are available in the obstetric or maternity led units within University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. This information North Cumbria Table 22: Maternity services provided by North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. Service area North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust Service West Cumberland Penrith Cumberland Infirmary Hospital Hospital CL ML Antenatal clinic Consultant Led (CL) or Midwife Led (ML) 7 3 7 NHS antenatal classes 3 3 3 NHS antenatal classes (evening and weekend) Antenatal Women only classes CL evenings 3 3 7 3 3 Specialised classes for multiple births 7 7 3 Specialised classes for Teenagers 3 3 3 Specialised classes for Eastern European groups 7 3 7 Specialised classes for caesarean birth 7 7 3 3 10-14 wks (ideally 12 wks) 7 3 10-14 wks (ideally 12 wks) Ultrasound scans Dating scan Anomaly scan 7 19-20+6wks 7 Nuchal translucency (NT) scan 3 7 19-20+6wks 3 The combined test (NT scan plus a blood test) 3 7 3 The triple test (blood test for hCG, alpha feto protein and uE3) 7 7 7 The quadruple test (triple test plus inhibin A) 3 3 3 Amniocentesis 3 7 3 Chorionic villus sampling 7 7 7 continued… 57 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Service area North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust Service West Cumberland Penrith Cumberland Infirmary Hospital Hospital Consultant Led (CL) or Midwife Led (ML) Maternity ward Labour Labour wards/rooms Postnatal wards/rooms Antenatal/day assessment rooms LDRP rooms (single rooms used for delivery and postnatal care) Neonatal Birthing pool Postnatal ML CL 3 10 LRDP single rooms 7 3 13 rooms shared use Single rooms available for women to recover following birth Staffing CL 10 rooms shared use 3 one room with a pool 6 12 4 7 3 6 3 3 Home births 3 3 3 Water births 3 3 3 Neo-natal intensive care unit 7 7 7 High dependency unit 7 7 7 Special Care Baby Unit 3 7 10 cots 24 hour breastfeeding support from trained staff or volunteers 3 3 3 Paediatrician 3 7 3 Obstetrician 3 7 3 Anaesthetist 3 7 3 Dedicated obstetric anaesthetist FTE Midwives 3 34 7 7.75 3 32 FTE Community Midwives 18 7 16 • North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust provides antenatal care, homebirths and births in Penrith’s birth centre, as well as postnatal care to women in their homes by midwives and maternity support workers. • Satellite Obstetric Clinics have been established whereby Consultants travel out to the community instead of women travelling to clinic. These are already in place at Maryport and Workington, and it is hoped that more can be developed in other areas. • Midwifery care is provided throughout the community. Settings include GP surgeries, Children’s Centres and Fire Stations. • A supervisor of midwives is available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to support mothers in relation to any request or concerns they may have. 58 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 • A midwifery manager has responsibility for child protection across North Cumbria. Each community base has a community midwife who coordinates child protection referrals. The community midwives have close links with Children’s Services. • The development and implementation of a more robust preceptorshipM programme to ensure retention of trained midwives. This will help address the national shortage of midwives. • Midwives with special interests e.g. drug and alcohol misuse, teenage pregnancy, and child protection, meet monthly with representatives from Children’s Services and Health Visiting. There are also midwives who specialise in infant feeding, bereavement and research and development. Peer supporters work with Children’s Centres to offer breastfeeding support in the community. Maternity support workers are also trained to offer breastfeeding support. • Patients identified as having a history of mental health problems, anxiety or depression are referred to obstetric clinic and have weekly access to a community psychiatric nurse. • Three assistant practitioners deliver smoking cessation advice to parents-to-be. • Data is routinely collected annually on homebirths and births in the Penrith birth centre. Planned/Future Developments Local issues North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust is currently undergoing a review of midwifery services in order to deliver safe sustainable 21st century services. Within the review there will be a Consultant Midwife post which will lead on the public health agenda and address health inequalities. A key issue highlighted for North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust was geography, which was seen as a continuing challenge to service delivery. There were numerous examples of successes highlighted, including: • Amalgamation of the on-call service provision across east Cumbria which has enabled midwives to maintain their intrapartum skills thus ensuring a more sustainable service. M Preceptorship refers to a period of practical experience and training for student midwives, under the supervision of an expert in the field. 59 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 South Cumbria Service area Table 23: Maternity services provided by University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. Service Antenatal Consultant Led (CL) or Midwife Led (ML) Antenatal clinic 3 3 3 NHS antenatal classes 3 3 3 NHS antenatal classes (evening and weekend) 3 3 3 Women only classes 7 7 7 Specialised classes for multiple births 7 7 7 Specialised classes for Teenagers 3 3 3 Specialised classes for Eastern European groups 7 7 7 Specialised classes for caesarean birth 3 3 7 3 12 wk 20 wk 3 8-12 weeks 20-22 weeks 3 10-14 weeks 19-21 weeks Ultrasound scans Dating scan Anomoly scan Nuchal translucency (NT) scan 7 7 7 The combined test (NT scan plus a blood test) 7 7 7 The triple test (blood test for hCG, alpha feto protein and uE3 3 3 3 The quadruple test (triple test plus inhibin A) 3 3 3 Amniocentesis 3 3 3 Chorionic villus sampling 7 7 Maternity ward 3 3 7 single rms 7 single rms 1 x 22 bed 1x24 beds 1 assessment 1 assessment area area Labour wards/rooms Postnatal wards/rooms Antenatal/day assessment rooms Labour University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust Westmorland Furness Royal General General Lancaster Hospital Hospital Infirmary (Helme Chase) CL CL ML LDRP rooms: (Single rooms used for delivery and postnatal care) Single rooms available for women to recover following birth 7 3 3 single rms 1x6 beds 7 7 7 1 10 8 4 Birthing pool 3 3 3 Home births 3 3 3 Water births 3 3 3 60 Service area Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust Westmorland Furness Royal General General Lancaster Hospital Hospital Infirmary (Helme Chase) CL CL ML Service Staffing Postnatal Neonatal Consultant Led (CL) or Midwife Led (ML) Neo-natal intensive care unit 7 2 cots 7 High dependancy unit 7 8 cots 7 Special Care Baby Unit 4 cot 8 cots 7 3 3 3 24 hour breastfeeding support from trained staff or volunteers Paediatrician 3 3 7 Obstetrician 3 3 7 Anaesthetist 3 3 7 7 30.83 6.40 3 52.63 11.49 7 11.47 6.69 Dedicated obstetric anaesthetist FTE Midwives FTE Community Midwives • Dashboards are used to measure quality standards and targets throughout the Trust. This has been developed for maternity services requirements. Audits, Risk Management, and Education and Training are undertaken and sit within the Governance structure for the division and the larger Trust. • Services are provided across the geographical areas of Morecambe Bay, with acute settings at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancaster and a midwife led unit at Westmorland. There are additional satellite services at Ulverston and Queen Victoria, Morecambe. • Antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care is provided across the sites with additional services in the satellite areas in community settings and at home. Service provision is 24/7 in acute settings. Local issues There were a number of issues/challenges highlighted: • How to ensure the equity of service provision across a large geographically spread rural area with specific urban areas. • This is considered to be a multi-disciplinary service supported by many additional agencies such as Children’s Centres, the Mental Health team, Family Support team and Children’s services. • Meeting the public health agenda of ensuring that the needs of vulnerable groups are met and well supported as well as meeting the national normal birth agenda for women. This was considered particularly difficult in Barrow where difficulties in providing appropriate neonatal services had been highlighted, with 52 miles to travel between there and the nearest level 2 unit.P • Data is routinely collected by the named linked specialist midwives and information analyst. It is also collected within the Trust through systems such as GuruN and CHKSO. N The data system used by Morecambe Bay Acute Trust A privately-run data company, see www.chks.co.uk for further information. O P Level two units are consultant led. Level one units are midwife led. 61 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 • Areas such as Barrow-in-Furness are identified as having large pockets of deprivation and therefore additional specialist roles and support and input in to how to best serve this population are required. • Development of the vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) clinics and review of resources to enable the provision of specific midwifery led areas at Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General Infirmary. However, there were also a number of successes: • Aim to increase the rate of water births by installing another birth pool at Royal Lancaster Infirmary and remodelling midwifery provision at Furness General Infirmary to support women-centred care. • In the Furness area, community midwives have designated hours to work with vulnerable (predominantly young) mums through Children’s Centres. In Lancaster, community midwives work slightly differently – no one has designated hours, however a number of midwives call into Children’s Centres on a regular basis/as needed. • The introduction of a clinical strategy to support the development of clear clinical pathways across maternity services in primary and secondary providers. 6.1.4Other services across Cumbria • Specialist roles and groups for mental health, substance misuse and teenage pregnancy are implemented across the Bay although some areas are more developed than others. There are also ‘specialist midwives’ in domestic violence, substance misuse, teenage pregnancy, mental health, safeguarding, screening and public health. Such specialist roles are being developed through multiagency working, and the development of policies and procedures. The Substance Misuse midwife in Furness works very closely with the community drug and alcohol team. The Domestic Violence midwife is a part of the Domestic Violence Champions Network (see Section 6.1.5), the mental health midwife is an important member of the antenatal and postnatal mental health group. • Across Cumbria, the ‘My little baby’ campaign run by Smokefree NorthWest offers pregnant women a text service and helpline number that provides support and guidance to help them to quit smoking. This project is particularly important in light of the fact that babies born to mothers who smoke are 40% more likely to be stillborn or die within the first four weeks of life. For further information see: www.smokefreenorthwest. org/support-pregnant-women-quit-smoking • Carbon Dioxide testing for pregnant women (as recommended in National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Guidance 26)75 is available at Royal Lancaster Infirmary (funded by North Lancashire Primary Care Trust), however it is not currently available in Furness or Westmorland General Hospitals. • Clear lines of leadership and management in clinical settings following restructure of services. • Run by Project John Ltd, ‘Project John’ provides supported housing for teenagers with concomitant mental health and drugalcohol problems. For further information see www.projectjohn.co.uk: and Planned/Future Developments University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust highlighted a number of future plans and developments, for example: 62 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 • In Carlisle and Eden, the ‘Let go’ project provides support to victims of domestic violence helping them to increase their physical safety to ensure their emotional and mental wellbeing (www. churchestogethercumbria.co.uk/domestic%20 violence.htm) In addition, the North Cumbria based initiative ‘Not in my Home’ provides information and links to support for victims of domestic violence. (www.notinmyhome. co.uk). The Domestic Violence Champions Network now operates across the county with Champions from a wide range of organisations and agencies. University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust have a representative from maternity who attends Champions network meetings, disseminates information and resources, and updates colleagues. High risk women across Cumbria can be referred for support via the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor managed by the ‘Let go’ project. 63 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 7. Conclusions and recommendations in common with the UK, the stillbirth rate has remained relatively stable during the period covered in this report. Around 5,000 babies are born in Cumbria each year. For the majority of pregnant women in the county, their experience of pregnancy and birth will be a good one. However, for some, this will not be the case, with the pregnancy ending in stillbirth or early neonatal death. For others, their baby may have complications after birth, related to low birthweight or prematurity meaning they require additional support, such as neonatal intensive care. In Cumbria, perinatal mortality and stillbirth rates are lower than those seen across the North West and England and Wales, and are comparable to other rural areas. Further reducing the perinatal mortality rate is a challenge as the causes are multifactorial and complex and it is difficult to neatly group them into diagnoses and risk factors, to be targeted and removed or altered. Rather, it is important that the characteristics of the environment (both physical and social) that have caused the patterns of mortality are determined and changed.76 Suggested interventions to reduce stillbirth include: improvement of health and wellbeing of women before, during, and after pregnancy; detection and management of women at risk during pregnancy; and improvement of information and standards of maternity care.29, In particular, efforts should be directed to ensure identification of risk factors needing high-risk care in pregnancy, particularly those associated with intrauterine growth restriction or placental problems as these are the most common causes of stillbirth in the UK. In a rural setting such as Cumbria appropriate risk stratification of women at booking is critical to ensure that women receive appropriate antenatal and intrapartum care. The birth rate, General Fertility Rate and Total Fertility Rates in Cumbria all increased over the past five years; however they remain lower than the regional and England and Wales averages. These rates also vary widely across the county’s local authorities. If the proportion of women of childbearing age in Cumbria falls as predicted, this could mean a further decline in the birth rate in future years. Births to teenage mothers are higher than for the England and Wales average, therefore greater effort is needed to reduce teenage conceptions in the areas with the highest rates. Interventions could include improved sex and relationship education in schools and improving the accessibility of appropriate sexual health services for teenagers. Over two-thirds of babies born in Cumbria are delivered normally, with the proportion of normal deliveries being significantly higher in Barrowin-Furness than most other local authorities – possibly due to issues of access. Variations in delivery method across the local authorities exist, for example, 10.3% of deliveries in Cumbria were by elective caesarean, but at local authority level this proportion ranged from 8.2% in Carlisle to 11.2% in Copeland. Almost two-thirds of all deliveries in Cumbria were conducted by a midwife, while hospital doctors conducted just under a third of deliveries. The proportion of babies born with low birthweight (less than 2,500grams) has slightly increased in Cumbria. However the proportion remains lower than that seen in the North West region and England as a whole. Low birthweight is known to be strongly linked to smoking during pregnancy and deprivation, with low birthweight babies at higher risk of illness during infancy and poorer health outcomes later in life, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is positive to note that perinatal mortality rates continue to decline in Cumbria although, 64 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 At the start of 2011, the proportion of pregnant women attending for antenatal assessmentQ at 12 weeks in Cumbria was higher than the regional and national proportions. However, when examining data for the comparative Primary Care Trusts, Cumbria had the second lowest percentage being seen. This is an area of prenatal care provision and screening for disorders (e.g. syphilis and pre-eclampsia) that can be improved. Women who book later in pregnancy have higher perinatal mortality, possibly due to missed opportunities to identify potential obstetrics problems and institute appropriate management plans. In high-income countries, the identification of pregnancies which are at highest-risk of placental dysfunction and intrauterine growth restriction and instituting appropriate management are likely to achieve reductions in the numbers of stillbirths.15 are classified as low- or high-risk, how their risk status is re-evaluated at each visit and how delivery is planned. Some centralisation of maternity services has already occurred across Cumbria, with further centralisation a continuing possibility. Such centralisation can deliver safer services but impact on the distance that people have to travel to access services most appropriate for them as the closure of local services may mean that individuals in rural localities have further to travel. As a link between perinatal death and increased distance travelled to hospital has been identified,55, 56 it is important to consider access to care that such changes to services might bring. Both the North Cumbria Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust are working hard to develop and improve the already high quality maternity services they offer. The percentage of women who were smoking at the time of giving birth (as a percentage of all maternities) was higher in Cumbria than the national average. As smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of miscarriage and low birthweight it is vital that smoking cessation interventions that provide support to quit during (and after) pregnancy are improved. There is lack of public awareness that particular lifestyles can increase risks in pregnancy and birth outcomes. Adequate preconception and antenatal care can substantially reduce stillbirth rates therefore health promotion and interventions to target these risks and address disparity are a priority.29 It is hoped that this report provides epidemiological evidence that will allow maternity service providers to build their knowledge to help them deliver more effective services to meet the needs of Cumbria’s population. Maternity services cannot make improvements in isolation; they must work in partnership with other agencies such as education, housing, employment, and social services.23 In addition, new models of care will be required in the future. This report is the first phase of a two part study. The second phase is a review of all perinatal deaths that occurred in mothers booked for delivery at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in 2009 and 2010. This review, also commissioned by NHS Cumbria, is being conducted by an independent expert clinical consortium. This report demonstrates that there are numerous challenges faced by those charged with providing maternity services in Cumbria. The main difficulties are due to issues of rurality and deprivation as highlighted in section 4.3 of this report (maternity services and care in rural areas). In particular, how women’s pregnancies Women seen by a midwife or a maternity healthcare professional, for health and social care assessment of needs, risks and choices by 12 completed weeks of pregnancy. Q 65 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 8. Appendices 8.1 Appendix 1: Glossary of definitions Antenatal the period before birth; during or relating to pregnancy Antepartum death stillbirth before labour Biparous the birth of two offspring in a single birth Early neonatal the first 7 days of life Grand multiparous a woman who has given birth five or more times Intrapartum death stillbirth during labour Intrauterine within the uterus Late neonatal after 7 days of life but before 28 completed days of life Maternity the period during pregnancy and shortly after childbirth Multiparousa woman who has given birth two or more times. Also used to describe the birth of more than one offspring at once Multiple birth the birth of two or more babies produced in the same gestation period Neonatal death the death of a live born baby during the first 28 completed days of life Nulliparous a woman who has never completed a pregnancy beyond 20 weeks Obstetricthe branch of medicine related to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period Parity the number of times a female has given birth to a fetus Periconceptional the period from before conception to early pregnancy Post natal the period immediately after birth, extending for about six weeks Postpartum the period shortly after childbirth Primipara a woman in her first pregnancy Singleton birth a baby born singly Stillbirth the loss of a fetus occurring in the uterus or during labour after 24 completed weeks of pregnancy Uniparous the birth of one offspring 66 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 8.2 Appendix 2: Policy and strategy summary maintaining and strengthening links with other early years. A fuller story on the health of England is set out in Our Health and Wellbeing Today, which accompanied the white paper.79 National policy and strategy The Government’s response to the recommendations in Frontline Care: the report of the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England (2011)77 stresses the Government’s acknowledgement of the “significant contribution that nurses and midwives make to the health and wellbeing of the population.” The 20 recommendations outlined in Frontline Care are clustered into seven themes: the socioeconomic value of nursing and midwifery; high quality, compassionate care; health and wellbeing; caring for people with long-term conditions; promoting innovations in nursing and midwifery; nurses and midwives leading services; and careers in nursing and midwifery. All of these recommendations are to go some way to helping to enhance/produce a high quality service that provides safe and effective care. The NHS in England: the Operating Framework for 2011/12 (2010)80 focuses upon more qualitative aspects of patient feedback to provide insight into what women and their families think of maternity care and services from preconception care, through to pregnancy and after birth. It considers how this can be utilised to identify and work to address issues present in service delivery. Choice and continuity of care are seen as key in this document. NICE Clinical Guideline 62. Antenatal care: routine care for the healthy pregnant woman (2008)81 highlights the need to address inequalities in maternity service provision. It consists of 11 components providing evidencebased information for use by clinicians and pregnant women to make decisions about appropriate treatment in specific circumstances (see Box 9). It provides information on best practice for clinical care of all pregnancies and comprehensive information on antenatal care. It focuses on improving outcomes for women who require additional care or previously experienced stillbirth or neonatal death. There is an emphasis on how care is delivered and by whom, including issues of ensuring equity of access to care for disadvantaged women and women’s views about service provision. This guidance is set to compliment the National Service Framework for Children38 as well as Maternity Matters.82 Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England (2010)78 includes plans to improve the integration of high quality services as a way to achieve one of the Government’s key priorities – early intervention and prevention – ensuring positive outcomes for children and parents. This strategy also highlights aspects of child and maternity services, such as, incorporating nursery care for pre-school children; the Healthy Child programme (providing community and primary care support for families); and increased investment in Health Visitors and 67 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 9: Components of NICE Clinical Guideline 62 1. Woman-centred care and informed decision making; 2. Provision and organisation of care; 3. Lifestyle considerations (including alcohol consumption and smoking in pregnancy); 4. Management of common symptoms of pregnancy; 5. Clinical examination of pregnant women; 6. Screening for haematological conditions; 7. Screening for fetal anomalies; 8. Screening for infections; 9. Screening for clinical conditions (including gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia); 10.Fetal growth and wellbeing; and 11.Management of specific clinical conditions (including pregnancy beyond 41 weeks and breech presentation at term). Clinical Guideline 62. Antenatal care: routine care for the healthy pregnant woman, The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), 2008 It also highlights the ‘Antenatal Assessment Tool’, which aims, through the administering of a routine, structured questionnaire, to support routine antenatal care and identify women who may need additional care for a number of reasons. It looks at women who: can remain within or return to the routine antenatal pathway of care; may need additional obstetric care for medical reasons; and may need social support and/or medical care for a variety of socially complex reasons. and wishes. This document highlights the need for the maternity workforce, including GPs, midwives and obstetricians, to be competent at supporting women with their decision making and breaking the barriers of women’s misconception of care. Improving the quality and outcomes for maternity service users through effective commissioning (2007)83 is a self-assessment tool for commissioners to assess and develop current capacity and capability to effectively commission maternity services. Commissioning practice is supported by access to appropriate information to ensure services meet the needs of the local population and address health inequalities. It covers the following: assessing need and reviewing service provision; shaping the structure of supply; managing demand; clinical decision making; managing performance; and patient and public feedback. Maternity Matters: Choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service (2007)22 describes four national choice guarantees: choice of how to access maternity services, choice of type of antenatal care, choice of place of birthR and choice of place of postnatal care. The aim of these choice guarantees is for women to be able to make well-informed decisions about their maternity care according to individual needs R Women have the following options for choosing place of birth: at home; midwifery-led unit (MLU); consultant-led unit (CLU). 68 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 National Guidelines for Maternity Services Liaison Committees (2006)84 suggests ways in which local Maternity Services Liaison Committees can work effectively to integrate perspectives from commissioners, service providers and service users for the planning, monitoring and improvement of services. Maternity Services Liaison Committees need to be involved in developing strategies for the delivery of maternity services. antenatal and neonatal screening; screening for Intrauterine Growth Restriction; maternal nutrition; and weight management. Local policy and strategy The Cumbria Children’s Trust Children and Young People’s Plan (2008)30 has been developed in order to improve services and sustainable outcomes for children and young people, to reduce inequality and social disadvantage. It sets out the aims, objectives and actions to achieve this with five key priorities; for children to “be healthy, stay safe, make positive contribution, achieving economic well being, enjoy and achieve.” Joint planning and commissioning framework for children, young people and maternity services (2006)85 includes examples of good practice, advice and tools to aid children’s trusts to develop comprehensive and integrated service provision in each local area to children, young people and maternity services. North Cumbria North Cumbria Clinical Strategy (2011)31 seeks to implement new models of care for North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust’s clinical services as consulted upon in 2008. For maternity services, the strategy aims to have one consultant-led service delivered across two sites supported by an anaesthetist to ensure all emergencies receive a response within 30 minutes. As there will be a small number of deliveries at each site, cross-site rotas will be introduced in order to maintain standards. The strategy was developed in line with the Closer to Home Strategy32 (see Box 10 for the strategy vision and aims) and a number of consultation exercise outcomes. The Closer to Home Strategy was developed by NHS Cumbria in 2007/08 for the provision of more health services closer to people’s homes. The North Cumbria Clinical Strategy differs from the agreement in the Closer to Home Strategy in that a different model of delivery will be implemented while retaining services at both sites. Every Child Matters (2003)27 sets out proposals to improve the delivery of services to children, young people and families. The Green Paper proposes supporting parents and carers; early intervention and effective protection; accountability and integration – locally, regionally and nationally; and workforce reform. Delivering the Best: Midwives Contribution to the NHS Plan (2003)28 recommends an initiative called Birthrate Plus. Birthrate Plus is a workload analysis tool to assist midwives in the planning and decision making of the maternity workforce. The tool calculates the number of midwives needed whilst considering the number, type and complexity of birth to put in place the relevant skill mix and staffing ratios. Regional policy and strategy Our Life in the North West: Tackling health inequalities locally (2008)29 is a self-assessment framework which includes maternity service models of provision. The following interventions are in place, with the most vulnerable and at risk groups targeted: promotion of early booking and regular attendance to antenatal care; needs and risk assessment in early pregnancy; pre-conceptual care; smoking cessation during pregnancy; South Cumbria The Nursing and Midwifery Strategy 20092014: Embracing the Future and Building Confidence (2009)33 outlines the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust’s vision and plan to deliver high standards of maternity 69 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 care. There are six key themes against which care will be provided: caring with kindness and compassion; providing safe care in clean and comfortable environments; listening to patients and improving the way we work; developing confident, ambitious and inspirational leaders; working with partners for the benefit of patients; and a questioning and analytical nursing and midwifery workforce. Included in Theme 2 (safe care in clean and comfortable environments) the Trust aims to develop a Nursing and Midwifery quality assurance framework which will assess the context, process, outcomes and experience of care, identify risk and inform future developments for improvement. In addition, the Trust has implemented Birthrate Plus to support this. Box 10: Closer to Home Strategy: Visions and Aims • To help more people keep fit and well for longer; • Greater involvement of patients and citizens in shaping the delivery of services and managing their own care and conditions; • To provide more services in the community by strengthening the capacity of community and primary care services, including providing local beds where necessary; • To complement these local services with acute hospitals providing the specialist services that they are uniquely able to provide and to the standards of the best in the country; • Services to reflect local priorities, with local doctors, nurses and other professionals playing a greater role in setting local priorities; • Services which are more responsive to what patients and their families need, such as fewer and shorter admissions to hospital; and • To repatriate and re-provide as much secondary care as possible within Cumbria. North Cumbria Clinical Strategy, NHS Cumbria & North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, 2011 National Standards delivered – through local programmes providing a service emphasising on parent support, integrated services and vulnerable children and families. Healthy Child Programme: Pregnancy and the first five years of life (2009)86 updates Standard One of the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services.39 It details the recommended standard for delivery of the key role of the Healthy Child Programme – an early intervention and public health programme for children and families – in promoting and improving the health and wellbeing of children. The publication informs that the Healthy Child Programme needs to adapt to this changing environment – changes in public expectation and in the way services are National Standards for Maternity Care – Report of a Working Party (2008)87 aims to ensure fair, safe and quality assured services for all mothers and babies. The 30 evidence-based standards cover a wide spectrum of maternity care, including early pregnancy services, women with social needs, supporting families who experience bereavement, pregnancy loss, stillbirth or early neonatal death, documentation and confidentiality, and staffing. Box 11 details five of the standards considered most relevant to this report. 70 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 11: Five key standards for maternity care 1. Maternity booking and planning of care At the first contact, pregnant women should be offered information about locally available services to allow them to choose the most appropriate options for pregnancy care, birth and postnatal care. All midwives, obstetricians and GPs must be competent to assist women in considering their options for antenatal, birth and postnatal care and the clinical risks and benefits involved. A risk and needs assessment including previous obstetric, medical and social history, must be carried out to ensure that every woman has a flexible plan of care adapted to her own particular requirements for antenatal care and delivery. 2. Neonatal care and assessment The newborn infant physical examination is a key element of the child health surveillance programme. All examinations of the baby should be performed by a suitably qualified healthcare professional who has up-to-date training in neonatal examination techniques. All newborn infants should have a complete clinical examination within 72 hours of birth. Appropriate recommendations by the National Screening Committee should be followed. 3. Supporting families who experience bereavement, pregnancy loss, stillbirth or early neonatal death Providers of maternity care need to ensure support and information [that includes details about investigations (including post-mortem), birth and death registration and options for disposal of the body] for women and their families both during the acute time of the event and continuing through the weeks or months afterwards. This includes comprehensive, culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary policies, services and facilities. Parents of stillborn babies or babies with identifiable medical or physical problems should receive timely and appropriate care and support in an appropriate environment. Maternity services should provide appropriate facilities including en suite toilet and shower and the provision of beds for both the woman and her partner. Information should be given to the woman and her partner about the grieving process, including local support offered and other agencies which also offer support following stillbirth or early neonatal death. 4. Clinical governance A comprehensive clinical governance framework monitors the quality of care provided to women and their families, encourages clinical excellence, enables the continuous improvement of standards and provides clear accountability. Safety is the top priority in clinical care. 5. Development, implementation and review of local maternity services strategy Effective development of a maternity service which meets the needs of the local population relies on an agreed strategy developed by key stakeholders working within the national service framework. Maternity services need to be appropriate, acceptable and accessible to women and their families. It is important that women are involved in the planning and monitoring of services. The provision of maternity services should be based on an up-to-date assessment of the needs of the local population, and the assessment and planning of services should take into account the availability of information technology equipment and networks, local transport services, access to facilities for wheelchairs or baby buggies and for women with physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and access for women from disadvantaged or minority groups. Standards for Maternity Care – Report of a Working Party, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2008 71 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity (2004)38 promotes woman- and child-centred high quality services that are designed around meeting individual need and reducing inequality. It also highlights that maternal and neonatal outcomes are poorer for those from disadvantaged, vulnerable or excluded groups. The framework consists of eleven standards, each containing markers of good practice and clearly states all health services must employ inclusive multi-disciplinary and multi-agency policies, services and facilities. The final standard of this framework, the Maternity Services standard,39 clearly states that all health services must employ inclusive, multi-disciplinary and multi-agency policies, services and facilities by maternity care providers. It is in place to facilitate the NHS, local authorities and their partner agencies to establish high quality service provision for all children and young people and their parents or carers. The interventions listed in the publication cover the following areas of maternity services: woman-focused care; care pathways and managed maternity care networks; inclusive services; pre-conception care; pre-birth care; birth; post birth care for mothers; post birth care for babies; quality of care; training and development; and planning and commissioning maternity services. Details of markers of good practice as highlighted in the report are shown in Box 12. 72 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 12: Markers of Good Practice 1. All women are involved in planning their own care with information, advice and support from professionals, including choosing the place they would like to give birth and supported by appropriately qualified professionals who will attend them throughout their pregnancy and after birth. 2. Maternity services are proactive in engaging all women, particularly women from disadvantaged groups and communities, early in their pregnancy and maintaining contact before and after birth. 3. All services facilitate normal childbirth wherever possible, with medical interventions recommended only when they are of benefit to the woman and/or her baby. 4. Maternity services are commissioned within a context of managed care networks and include a range of provision for routine and specialist services for women and their families, for example: • Routine ante-natal and post-natal care services; • Services for women with more complex pregnancies who may require multi-disciplinary or multi-agency care; • Services for women who request support for coping with domestic violence; • Services for disabled women; • Services for women and their partners who request support to stop smoking; • Services for women and their partners who are substance misusers; and • Services for women and their partners who have mental health problems. 5. Managed maternity and neonatal care networks include effective arrangements for managing the prompt transfer and treatment of women and their babies experiencing problems or complications. 6. All women and their babies receive treatment from health care professionals competent in resuscitation for both mother and infant, newborn examination and in providing breastfeeding support. Services promote breastfeeding, whilst supporting all women whatever their chosen method of feeding. 7. Women who use local maternity services are involved in improving the delivery of these services, and in planning and reviewing all local hospital and community maternity services. National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services Standard 11: Maternity Services, Department of Health, 2007 73 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 8.3 Appendix 3: Risk factors for perinatal mortality stillbirths, 29% had a pre-existing medical problem. The most common problems were pre-eclampsiaT (6%), psychiatric disorders (4%), diabetes (3%) and endocrine disorders (2%).2 Maternal ethnicity Research has shown that mothers from ethnic minority groups are significantly more likely to have stillbirths and neonatal deaths.13, 88 Figures from CMACE for 2009 show that in England, mothers of Black ethnic origin were 2.1 times more likely to have stillbirth and 2.4 times more likely to have a neonatal death compared to mother of White ethnic originS. In addition, Asian mothers were 1.6 times more likely to have either a stillbirth or neonatal death compared to mothers of White ethnic origin.2 Here, we look at the top three of these disorders that complicate pregnancy, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes and psychiatric disorders.88 High blood pressure Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy have been named as the leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality in the developed world. The presence of either high or low blood pressure during pregnancy has also been associated with babies who are small for gestational age89,90 with half of women with severe pre-eclampsia giving birth preterm.91 A study by Balchin et al.88 looked at gestational age and perinatal mortality of White, South Asian and Black women who were nulliparous, across 15 maternity units in northwest London. They found that the risks of perinatal mortality and antepartum stillbirth in mothers with post-term (beyond 41 completed weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period) births increased earlier in pregnancy in South Asian and Black women compared to White women. Black women had a lower perinatal mortality rate before 32 weeks gestation compared to White women, however the rate was higher thereafter. The highest perinatal mortality rate was amongst South Asian women at all gestational ages, with increased odds at term. Although South Asian and Black women showed higher numbers of perinatal deaths compared to White women, they all follow the same pattern with numbers decreasing from 24-40/41 weeks and then increasing thereafter. The most important factor associated with antepartum stillbirth among White women was placental abruption, whilst for South Asian and Black women it was birthweight below 2000 grams. Women at high risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are those with hypertensive disease during a previous pregnancy; chronic kidney disease; autoimmune disease; type 1 or type 2 diabetes; or chronic hypertension.91 NICE Clinical Guideline 107 Hypertension in pregnancy: the management of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy contains recommendations for the diagnosis and management of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.91 Diabetes Diabetes is characterised by high levels of glucose (a form of sugar) in a person’s blood because his/ her pancreas does not produce enough insulin (a hormone) to help the body use glucose properly.92 There are three types of diabetes that can affect pregnant women:93 • Type 1 diabetes – occurs when the body cannot produce insulin and usually starts in childhood. People with this type of diabetes take insulin to control their blood sugar. Women will usually know if they have the condition before they become pregnant. Medical conditions - pre-diagnosed and identified during pregnancy The CMACE Perinatal Mortality Report 2009 reported that among mothers who have S Some caution should be taken when interpreting these figures as ethnicity is often self-reported. T A condition in which hypertension arises in pregnancy in association with significant amounts of protein in the urine. 74 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 • Type 2 diabetes – occurs when the body can’t produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced doesn’t work properly. People who are overweight and women over the age of 40 are most at risk, however younger people can also develop the condition, particularly those of Asian and black origin. Treatment involves tablets to lower blood glucose or insulin injections. Pregnant women may have been diagnosed before or during pregnancy. Women are more likely to develop gestational diabetes if they: –– are overweight (body mass index greater than 30); –– have previously given birth to a large baby (weighing over 9.9lb); –– had gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies; –– have a family history of diabetes; and/or –– are of south Asian, black Caribbean or Middle Eastern ethnic origin. • Gestational diabetes – only occurs during pregnancy, can occur at any stage (most commonly in the second half) and will go away once the woman has given birth. It develops when the body fails to make enough insulin to meet the extra demands of pregnancy. It can often be controlled through diet, however in some cases, tablets or insulin injections may be required. Women who have gestational diabetes during pregnancy are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. Diabetes during pregnancy puts both mother and baby at increased risk of complications (see Box 13). As babies born to diabetic mothers are often larger than normal, women with diabetes are strongly advised to give birth with the support of a consultant-led maternity team in a hospital. Box 13: Risks associated with diabetes during pregnancy. Risks to the woman: Women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of: • Having a large baby, therefore a potentially more difficult birth requiring induction or a caesarean section. • Having a miscarriage. • Women with type 1 diabetes may develop new problems, or existing problems may get worse, for example with their eyes (diabetic retinopathy – damage to the retina which can eventually lead to blindness) and their kidneys (diabetic nephropathy – progressive kidney disease). Risks to baby • Perinatal mortality. • Abnormal development, for example, congenital abnormalities (heart abnormalities in particular). • Health problems shortly after birth (such as heart and breathing problems) that require hospital care. • Developing obesity or diabetes later in life. NHS Choices, Diabetes and Pregnancy, 2011 75 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 hormones during maternal mental illness.99, 100 Women who have previously had a mental health problem are at increased risk of becoming ill again during pregnancy (or in the first year after birth). The risks of specific mental disorders are increased by poverty, stress, exposure to violence and low social support. Women with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have been shown to have high rates of perinatal mortality, with both types of diabetes carrying similar levels of risk.U,90 The risk of perinatal mortality in this group is four times that of the general population. Women with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are also at increased risk of giving birth to a baby with congenital anomalies or perinatal morbidity.90 Women with Type 2 diabetes were more likely to come from a Black, Asian or other ethnic minority group and from a deprived area. Antenatal and postnatal mental disorders, from anxiety disorders and depression through to schizophrenia and postnatal psychotic disorders, can severely impact the health and wellbeing of not only the mother, but her infant and other family members. The NICE clinical guideline 45 provides recommendations on the care, treatment and support for women who are diagnosed with a mental health disorder during pregnancy or in the postnatal period.101 NICE clinical guideline 63 sets out recommendations for the management of diabetes and related complications throughout all stages of pregnancy: preconception, antenatal, neonatal and postnatal care.94 Mental health problems (psychological disorders) Maternal body mass index Overweight and obesity Several studies have recognised that women with mental health problems during pregnancy are at increased risk of pregnancy, birth and neonatal complications.95, 96, 97, 98 Depression and anxiety disorders in early pregnancy are related to a risk of preeclampsia,95 while Gold et al found a considerably higher foetal mortality risk in women with any mental health disorder prior to pregnancy, particularly those with affective disorders.96 A further study by Howard et al. highlighted a higher proportion of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in women with a history of psychotic disorders.97 Obesity is known to increase pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders, thus increasing the risk of preterm birth and adverse outcomes i.e. perinatal mortality. In 2009, 10% of women who had a stillbirth or neonatal death had a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or more V.13 However, women who are only moderately overweight are also at increased risk.102 This is a concern considering the expanding waistbands and increasing levels of obesity in the general UK population and other developed countries. In the UK, trends in crude rates show a decrease in the proportion of women within the ideal BMI group and an increase in the overweight and obese groups over a 15 year period.103 Women who develop maternal mental disorders are less likely to approach prenatal care and opt for poor health choices including under-eating and lack of sleep which can disturb adequate weight gain. Furthermore, women with maternal mental disorders are more likely to smoke, consume alcohol and use drugs. Maternal high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia and early and difficult delivery are influenced by raised stress U V Maternal overweight is a preventable risk factor for poor outcomes and it is suggested that the rate of perinatal mortality is related to socioeconomic status in developed countries.104 Research has identified a significant correlation This study looked at perinatal mortality and congenital anomaly rates after 24 weeks completed gestation only among women diagnosed with diabetes at least one year prior to their estimated due date. Figures for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies. 76 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 between maternal obesity and health inequalities,105,103 with a 2010 study into maternal obesity by CMACE reporting that 34% percent of pregnant women living in England with a BMI ≥35 were in the most deprived quintile.105 This is further supported by Heslehurst et al, who reported the demography of obese women as older, more parous and living in the more deprived quintile areas.103 A study conducted in Denmark found obese women were more likely to have been single, unemployed, received less than ten years of schooling, smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day and were multiparous.106 Obese mothers are more likely to give birth to large-for-gestational-age babies.105 Furthermore, obese nulliparous women are at an increased risk of preterm delivery, consequently increasing negative outcomes. It is thought that this is due to increased odds of pre-eclampsia.107 Box 14: Obstetric complications common amongst women with a high BMI before or during pregnancy. • Birth defects such as heart defects, neural tube defects, and other abnormalities; • Difficulty seeing all of the baby’s organs and estimating the baby’s weight with ultrasound; • Difficulty monitoring the baby’s heart rate tracing with the fetal heart monitor; • Gestational diabetes; • Pre-eclampsia; • Problems having epidural and other anaesthesia; • Delivery by emergency caesarean section; • Heavy bleeding after delivery; • Increased risk of forming abnormal blood clots; • Bladder and kidney infections; • Wound infection; • Large babies with birthweight above the 90th percentile; • Less likely to have successful vaginal birth after caesarean section; and • Increased risk of stillbirth. Obfocus, BMI and Pregnancy, 2009 www.obfocus.com/high-risk/BMI/BMI%20and%20Pregnancy.htm 77 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 The stillbirth rate for mothers with a BMI of 35 or more is significantly higher than the general population; 8.6 per 1,000 singleton births ≥24 weeks’ gestation compared to 3.9 per 1,000 total births respectively.108 Furthermore, a metaanalysis estimated the stillbirth risk among obese women to be nearly twice that of women of normal weight108 and a Danish study found the risk of stillbirth more than doubled among obese women. In the past, pregnant women would have their weight measured at every antenatal check. However, weight is now only measured at the first booking-in appointment and then again only if there is a concern about the woman’s weight. By having an initial measure of weight, it is possible for BMI to be calculated and identify where weight (that was present pre-pregnancy) may be an issue; and also address where any additional ante/post natal care may be required. The care of women who are obese (BMI ≥35) may differ to those who are not in terms of, for example, being under the care of a consultant due to increased risk of complications during pregnancy and while giving birth. There is a lower risk of perinatal mortality among women with low BMI and the risk increases with increasing BMI.109 The perinatal mortality rate for mothers with a BMI of ≥35 is 9.8 per 1,000 total births compared to 5.2 per 1,000 total births of the general population, almost twice the rate.105 Although there are no official guidelines as to how much weight is best for a woman to gain during pregnancy, guidelines formed from anecdotal evidence are shown in Table 24. Table 24: Guidelines for weight gain in pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy BMI BMI Total weight gain Rates of weight gain 2nd & 3rd trimester (average range/week) Underweight Less than 18.5 13kg to 18kg (28lb to 40lb) 0.5kg to 0.6kg (1lb to 1.3lb) Normal weight 18.5 to 24.9 11kg to 16kg (25lb to 35lb) 0.4kg to 0.5kg (0.8lb to 1lb) Overweight 25 to 29.9 7kg to 11kg (15lb to 25lb) 0.2kg to 0.3kg (0.5lb to 0.7lb) Obese 30 or more 5kg to 9kg (11lb to 20lb) 0.2kg to 0.3kg (0.4lb to 0.6lb) Source: Baby Centre, Weight gain in pregnancy.110 Women who are classed as super-obese (BMI ≥ 50) are more likely to have illnesses caused by being overweight (co-morbidities) or preexisting medical conditions such as chronic high blood pressure and Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.111 Evidence also suggests that compared to all other obese and non-obese women, those women who are considered ‘super-obese’ have higher rates and are more likely to suffer from a number of conditions during pregnancy, which have implications for both maternal and baby health, including: preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, fetal deaths, large-forgestational-age babies and caesarean delivery.111 78 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Box 15: Recommendations for obese women of child-bearing age and obese pregnant women. • Pre-conception counselling; • Folic acid supplementation; • Appropriate provision of antenatal care; • Measuring height and weight and calculating BMI; • Access to appropriate information highlighting maternal and fetal risks of maternal obesity; • Maternal surveillance and screening for gestational diabetes; • Planning labour and delivery; • Risk and needs assessment; and • Service organisation. CMACE, Maternal obesity in the UK: findings from a national project, 2010 CMACE and RCOG, Management of Women with Obesity in Pregnancy, 2010 Obfocus, BMI and Pregnancy, 2009 Pre-pregnancy counselling is recommended to obese women of child-bearing age (BMI of 30 or more) in order to make them aware of the risks of obesity during pregnancy and childbirth. This should involve access to appropriate information, advice and support to lose weight prior to pregnancy (Box 15). and highlight dietary and physical activity interventions for weight management before, during and after pregnancy.114 Such interventions are required to address the risks associated with being overweight or obese thus improving pregnancy outcomes. Research looking at gestational weight loss in women found that is was beneficial (for overweight and obese women) in decreasing the risk of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and non-elective c-section, although it did not substantially affect the risk of perinatal mortality in these two groups.112 It did, however, increase the risk of adverse outcomes such as preterm delivery and babies being small-for-gestational-age in normal weight, overweight and obese mothers; and thus has the potential to increase perinatal mortality where preterm delivery is a risk factor. As discussed above, maternal overweight and obesity increases the risk of adverse outcomes. In comparison, at the other end of the weight spectrum, it must also be acknowledged that being underweight too has implications upon maternal and fetal health; with women with low BMI (less than 18.5) being more likely to give birth to a small-for-gestational-age baby111 and preterm delivery. Therefore pregnancies among women who are overweight or underweight are considered high-risk.104 Underweight A study exploring perinatal outcomes of women of low weight and low BMI at conception, during pregnancy and at delivery shows a correlation between these women and prematurity, low birthweight and delivery complications. Authors highlight the need for management of nutrition through pregnancy in order for better delivery outcomes.115 Effective local strategies should include referral criteria, facilities and equipment, care in pregnancy, place and mode of birth, provision of anaesthetic services, management of obstetric emergencies and postnatal advice.113 In addition, recent guidance has been produced to encourage 79 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Poor nutrition and baby.125 It has therefore been suggested that care-providers need to focus upon the fact that the demographic distribution of pregnant women will continue to shift, with more women having children in to older age.125 Poor nutrition prior to conception, during early pregnancy and during the third trimester of pregnancy is associated with preterm birth and low birthweight.116 High carbohydrate intake in early pregnancy is associated with suppressed placental growth, particularly if combined with low dairy and protein intake during late pregnancy.117 It has also been reported that the frequency of food consumption and meal patterns during pregnancy influences pregnancy outcome (birthweight and timing of delivery) which can cause complications for the baby.118 Blincoe relates poor diets in women before and during pregnancy with low birthweight and reports that teenagers and those living in poverty are at highest risk.119 Historically, there have been higher rates of perinatal mortality in older mothers due to congenital and chromosomal anomalies, however, these rates have reduced due to the introduction of screening programmes as well as the availability of elective abortion (although this is not available in all countries).126 In England and Wales during 2009, babies of mothers aged 40 and over had the highest stillbirth and perinatal mortality rates at 7.7 and 10.6 per 1,000 total births respectively.120 A significant relationship has been found to exist between advance maternal age and adverse outcomes such as intra uterine growth restriction (IUGR), low birthweight, congenital malformations and perinatal mortality.125, 126 However, it has been suggested by some that age alone (as an independent risk factor) does not increase the risk of perinatal mortality and that other contributing factors may therefore need to be considered.125,126 It is also evident that mothers aged over 40 years may be more susceptible to pre-term birth, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia (the latter two of which can cause the former)121; as well as babies who are small for gestational age and higher rates of ante- and intra-partum stillbirth.125 A recent study by Lisonkova et al. looked at birth outcomes for older mothers of twins and found that twins of older mothers were more likely to be born preterm (less than 37 weeks) however they were at no greater risk of other adverse birth outcomes.140 With British government guidelines emphasise the need for a balanced diet and vitamin and mineral supplementation, intervention strategies to improve nutrition before and during pregnancy are necessary for improving outcomes.115 Midwives are most appropriate at advising nutritional health to pregnant women. However, barriers including cost, availability, access and family eating habits affect women’s coerce to change their diets, particularly those from a low income background.119 Maternal age Maternal age is said to affect the risk of perinatal mortality, with higher levels of stillbirth and perinatal mortality among mothers who are from younger (under 25 years) or older (over 40 years) age groups.2,120,121 This is particularly pertinent in the present day with high, and in some areas increasing, numbers of teenage pregnancies.122 In addition, more women are having children later in life, with the number of women in their forties giving birth doubling in the ten years from 1998 to 2008.123 This trend may be anecdotally attributed to factors such as lifestyle choice, improved education and career prospects, and improvements in methods of assisted reproduction.124 Pregnancy and birth for older mothers carries increased risk for both mother The evidence appears mixed when considering whether young maternal age has an impact upon pregnancy outcomes or not.127, 128 Adolescent pregnancies have been shown to increase the risk of medical complications including low birthweight, prematurity and increased risk of perinatal mortality.129,130 Other risk factors that have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in younger mothers include being 80 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 of Black ethnic origin, having a lower level of education, being a single parent, inadequate prenatal care and smoking during pregnancy.131 However, these risks may also be associated with older mothers, or indeed mothers of all ages. has proved interventions such as cognitive behaviour and motivational interviewing, incentives and nicotine replacement therapy can reduce the number of women continuing to smoke in late pregnancy therefore reducing low birthweight and preterm birth and in turn improving outcomes. There is a connection between smoking in pregnancy and social disadvantage and for that reason maternity care providers need to meet the requirements of the local population ensuring support to those living in poverty, poor social support and lack of education. Smoking during pregnancy Although it has been noted that smoking during pregnancy is declining in high-income countries,132 an estimated one third of all perinatal deaths in the UK are caused by smoking.133 In 2009, 27% of mothers who had stillbirths and 28% of mothers whose babies died in the neonatal period smoked during pregnancy.13 Babies born to smokers are at an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.134 Assisted reproduction (e.g. IVF) Research has shown that assisted conceptions can increase excess perinatal deaths, particularly for singleton pregnancies.136, 138 Research by Helmerhorst et al suggests that singleton pregnancies from assisted reproduction have a significantly worse perinatal outcome than those non-assisted singleton pregnancies, but this is less so for twin pregnancies. In twin pregnancies, perinatal mortality was lower in assisted compared to natural conception.136 Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of complications including low birthweight, preterm birth, placental abruption and placenta previaW thus affecting perinatal outcome. Maternal smoking is strongly associated with low birthweight and it has been reported that “the greater number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy, the less well the foetus grows and develops.”133 Evidence shows infants of mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to be born small-for-gestational-age in comparison to non-smokers,134 and other research has demonstrated maternal smoking in the third trimester of pregnancy as an autonomous predictor for birthweight percentile.135 Multiple pregnancies It is well documented that multiple pregnancies pose greater risks for both mother and foetus compared to singleton births. Rates of twin pregnancies are said to have more than doubled in the past 20 years and higher order multiple births have increased six fold.137 In general, twin and multiple births have been shown to have higher perinatal mortality rates than singleton births.137, 138 In the UK over the decade 20002009, the perinatal mortality rate in twins significantly decreased from 33.6 to 24.6 per 1,000 total births, whilst the stillbirth rate also fell from 16.7 to 12.1 per 1,000 live births.2 However, it is still widely acknowledged that twins remain at a much higher risk of stillbirth (2.5 times greater) and neonatal deaths (6.4 It should also be noted that women who do not smoke, but are exposed to second-hand smoke during pregnancy, have an amplified risk of giving birth prematurely or to a low birthweight baby, thus increasing the probability of mortality.133 In view of the interconnected correlation of smoking, low birthweight babies and adverse perinatal outcomes, it is essential that all maternity care settings promote smoking cessation. Evidence Placenta previa is low-lying placenta after 20 weeks of pregnancy. If the placenta covers the cervix at the end of pregnancy the vagina will be blocked and the baby will therefore need to be born by caesarean section. See www.babycentre.co.uk/ pregnancy/complications/placentapraevia W 81 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 by de Jonge et al. in 2009 found no significant differences between rate of perinatal mortality and morbidity and whether births took place in the home or hospital.144 These findings conflict with previous studies on home births by Bastian et al and Pang et al., however both studies have limitations such as sample size.145, 146 The risks associated with home births have been identified as: breech presentation, twins and post-term births. times higher) when compared to singleton births.2 There is also a marked difference in the cause of death between singleton and twin births, with figures for specific fetal conditions and major congenital anomalies being 2% and 9% compared to 21% and 11% for singleton and twin births respectively (i.e. twin births have higher prevalence). A study by Payne et al. found that preterm twins have lower perinatal mortality rates than singletons of the same birthweight and gestational age.139 A more recent study by Lisonkova et al. examining maternal age and twin births found that, while twins born to older women were more likely to be born preterm (<37 weeks) they were at no greater risk of being born very preterm (<33 weeks).140 Those twins born to older mothers were not at an increased risk of perinatal mortality or mechanical ventilation, and were not small for gestational age when compared to twins of younger women. The same study found that twins born to older multiparous mothers were, however, at a higher risk of being admitted to neonatal intensive care. An earlier United Kingdom study found a significantly higher perinatal mortality rate for births booked under an independent midwife compared with births in NHS units from 2002 to 2005. The authors concluded that evidence shows low-risk home birth is no less dangerous than in hospitals, however, women require adequate information regarding risks and potential outcomes in order to make informed decisions.147 Method of delivery Babies who are born breech have greater risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity than those born with vertex X presentation.148 The Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries report that in 2009, the majority of stillbirths and neonatal deaths were vertex presentation at delivery (76% and 68% respectively).13 Twenty-one percent of stillbirths and 28% of neonatal deaths were breech presentation; of these 87% of stillbirths and 67% of neonatal deaths were delivered vaginally. The report notes that presentation is unlikely to be causally related to death. Gender of baby It has been suggested that males have higher perinatal mortality rates compared to females. Specifically, research in the US has highlighted that overall perinatal mortality rates and mortality rates at low birthweights are relatively higher among male births; while at heavier birthweights, perinatal mortality rates are relatively higher among female births.141, 142 A study by Sheiner et al. found higher rates of gestational diabetes, complications during labour and caesarean section among women carrying male foetuses, with the authors concluding that “male gender is an independent risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome.”143 Birthweight and gestational age Low birthweight is considered to be the “single, strongest predictor of infant survival”149, p.378 with the chance of an infant surviving the perinatal period being closely related to its weight at birth. As such, birthweight should be considered as a potential confounding variable when looking at the effect of other factors upon perinatal mortality.150 Place of birth There are a number of maternal risk factors that may be seen to increase the risk (after adjusting for confounding variables) of perinatal mortality The relationship between perinatal mortality and morbidity and place of birth is unclear. A study X Head down and in the fetal position, also termed cephalic presentation. 82 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 due to their tendency to cause low birthweight, namely: assisted conception, earlier stillbirth, higher maternal age, maternal diabetes, lower socioeconomic status, single mother, first birth and smoking during pregnancy.151 for interventions to increase awareness on the association of alcohol consumption and smoking during pregnancy on fetal outcome, particularly amongst high-risk groups. Of those mothers who had stillbirths in 2009, 57% were in employment at the time of booking. Comparable figures for employment levels among women who have live births were not available. Messer reports that in England and Wales during 2009, perinatal mortality rates were highest for very low birthweight babies (under 1,500 grams) at 256.2 per 1,000 total births.120 For stillbirths, the majority of very low birthweight babies were also of low gestational age (24–27 weeks). Most stillbirths (67%) were preterm (less than 37 completed weeks of gestation). Additionally, of all preterm stillbirths, 63.8% belonged to the very low birthweight category. In England and Wales during 2009, the highest rates of perinatal mortality were seen in babies born to father’s who are in ‘semi-routine’, ‘routine’ and ‘other’ professions (8.4, 8.5 and 10.8 per 1,000 live and still births respectively). Birthweight may also be directly linked with gestational age in that babies who are delivered early (pre-term, early gestational age) are more likely to be of low birthweight, and therefore focus may be placed upon reducing/preventing the number of pre-term births and thus reducing the risk of perinatal mortality.149 For neonatal deaths, the mortality rates decrease as the gestation increases. Babies born pre-term (<37 weeks) have a much higher risk of mortality than babies born at term (37+ weeks).2 8.4 Appendix 4: The LA Classification Inequalities and employment 3. Other Urban: districts with fewer than 37,000 people or less than 26% of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. The Defra LA Classification gives six Urban/Rural Classifications: 1. Major Urban: districts with either 100,000 people or 50% of their population in urban areas with a population of more than 750,000. 2. Large Urban: districts with either 50,000 people or 50% of their population in one of 17 urban areas with a population between 250,000 and 750,000. Perinatal mortality is linked to deprivation. In 2009, mothers who had stillbirths and neonatal deaths were significantly more likely to be deprived compared to the general population. Mothers in the most deprived areas were 1.6 times more likely to have a stillbirth than those in the least deprived areas.2 4. Significant Rural: districts with more than 37,000 people or more than 26% of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. 5. Rural-50: districts with at least 50% but less than 80% of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. A recent study of the factors associated with unhealthy behaviours during pregnancy for a group of women in Dublin found a higher occurrence of smoking during pregnancy and lower periconceptional folic acid supplement use among mothers in lower social classes.152 There were, however, similar proportions of alcohol consumption during pregnancy across all social class groups. The study expresses the need 6. Rural-80: districts with at least 80% of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. For further information see: http://archive.defra. gov.uk/evidence/statistics/rural/rural-definition. htm#defn 83 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Survey question Score needed to be in highest scoring 20% of trusts NCUHT Score UHMBT Score 8.5 Appendix 5: Summary of results from the survey of women’s experiences of maternity services 2010 for Cumbria.67 Were you given a choice of having your baby at home? 84 83 80 Dating scan: was the reason for this scan clearly explained to you? 89 89 93 Were the reasons for having a screening test for Down’s syndrome clearly explained to you? 89 87 88 20 week scan: was the reason for this scan clearly explained to you? 92 92 93 During labour, could you move around and choose the most comfortable position? 82 80 89 During labour and birth, did you get the pain relief you wanted? 82 83 84 If you had a cut or tear requiring stitches, how soon after the birth were the stitches done? 61 57 63 Did you have skin to skin contact with your baby shortly after the birth? 90 85 89 Did you have confidence and trust in the staff caring for you during the labour and birth? 89 89 89 If you had a partner or a companion with you during your labour and delivery, were they made welcome by the staff? 94 91 95 Were you (and/or your partner or a companion) left alone by midwives or doctors at a time when it worried you? 84 84 84 Thinking about your care during labour and birth, were you spoken to in a way you could understand? 93 92 93 Thinking about your care during labour and birth, were you involved enough in decisions about your care? 87 88 89 Overall, how would you rate the care received during your labour and birth? 87 88 91 Care in hospital after the birth (Postnatal care) Looking back, do you feel that the length of your stay in hospital after the birth was appropriate? 76 80 86 After the birth of your baby, were you given the information or explanations you needed? 76 81 79 After the birth of your baby, were you treated with kindness and understanding? 83 82 88 Feeding the baby during the first few days Did you feel that midwives and other carers gave you consistent advice? 62 66 65 Did you feel that midwives and other carers gave you active support and encouragement? 69 73 71 Survey section Care during pregnancy (Antenatal Care) Labour and birth Staff during labour and birth Performance compared to national average Better About the same 84 Worse Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 8.6 Appendix 6: Data from the CHIMAT Outcomes versus Expenditure tool, 2010/11 This chart shows the cost per birth compared to perinatal mortality rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The total cost per birth in Cumbria Primary Care Trust was £2,349. The perinatal mortality rate per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 4.72 per 1000 live births. Cumbria Primary Care Trust data Perinatal Mortality 85 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the obstetrics and gynaecology consultants/midwife ratio compared to perinatal mortality rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The obstetrics and gynaecology consultant/midwife ratio in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 0.08. 86 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the obstetrics and gynaecology consultants (Full time equivalent - FTE) per 1000 births compared to perinatal mortality rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The obstetrics and gynaecology consultants per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 2.9. 87 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the registered midwives (FTE) per 1000 births compared to perinatal mortality rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The registered midwives per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 35.4. 88 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the paediatric consultants (FTE) per 1000 births compared to perinatal mortality rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The paediatric consultants per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 3.2. 89 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Stillbirths total expenditure on maternity services per birth in Cumbria Primary Care Trust was £2,349. The stillbirth rate in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 4.1 per 1000 births. This chart shows the expenditure on maternity services per birth compared to stillbirth rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The 90 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the obstetrics and gynaecology consultants/midwife ratio compared to stillbirth rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The obstetrics and gynaecology consultant/midwife ratio in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 0.08. 91 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the obstetrics and gynaecology consultants (FTE) per 1000 births compared to stillbirth rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The obstetrics and gynaecology consultants per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 2.9. 92 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the registered midwives (FTE) per 1000 births compared to stillbirth rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The registered midwives per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 35.4. 93 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 This chart shows the paediatric consultants (FTE) per 1000 births compared to stillbirth rate per 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The paediatric consultants per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust is 3.2. 94 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Comparison between 2009/10 and 2010/11, Cumbria Primary Care Trust 1000 births for Cumbria Primary Care Trust. The change in cost per birth in Cumbria Primary Care Trust was £-0.06. The difference in perinatal mortality rate per 1000 births in Cumbria Primary Care Trust was -2.14. Perinatal Mortality This chart shows the cost per birth compared to the change in perinatal mortality rate per 95 Pregnancy and birth in Cumbria: A statistical review | January 2013 Stillbirths The change in cost per birth in Cumbria Primary Care Trust was £-0.06. 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We would like to thank Sacha Wyke, Jennifer Mason, Lynn Deacon, Matthew Hennessey and Nicola Leckenby of the North West Public Health Observatory for their assistance in the production of this report. We also greatly appreciate the input and contribution from Anne Musgrave, Janet Crewdson, Denise Lightfoot, Stephanie Preston and Lesley Lewthwaite of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust; Sacha Wells and Liz Strickland of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust; Julie Maddocks of CMACE; Anne Cooke of NHS Cumbria; and Dr Alexander Heazell of Manchester Academic Health Services Centre, The University of Manchester. This report was commissioned by Dr Rebecca Wagstaff, Deputy Director of Public Health, NHS Cumbria. 105 North West Public Health Observatory Centre for Public Health – Research Directorate Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences Liverpool John Moores University Henry Cotton Building 15-21 Webster Street Liverpool L3 2ET Tel. (0151) 231 4535 Fax (0151) 231 4552 Email [email protected] www.nwpho.org.uk www.cph.org.uk ISBN: 978-1-908029-98-0 (Print version) ISBN: 978-1-908029-99-7 (PDF version) Published January 2013 A report commissioned by: