§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has concerning the number of premature babies born in each of the last five years which have survived at(a) 24 weeks gestation, (b) 25 weeks gestation, (c) 26 weeks gestation, (d) 27 weeks gestation and (e) 28 weeks gestation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 16 May 1988]Information is not available in precisely the form requested.
The nearest available data are shown in the table. The data have been taken from the maternity section of the "Hospital In-patient Enquiry" (HIPE) and shows the estimated number of babies, born at relevant gestation weeks, who were subsequently discharged alive from NHS hospitals. The data are for England only, for the years 1982–85. 1981 data are not available, whilst 1985 is the last data year for HIPE.
Estimated number of babies discharged live from NHS maternity hospitals by gestation weeks of birth, England, 1982–85 24 weeks 25 weeks 26 weeks 27 weeks 28 weeks 1982 97 162 226 399 422 1983 77 120 263 296 504 1984 87 206 163 424 587 1985 163 152 196 316 468