Infant and Perinatal Mortality (Hansard, 6 July 1993)

§ 29. Sir Fergus Montgomery
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest information about the rates of infant and perinatal mortality in the north-western region.

§ Mr. Sackville
For the north-western region, the 1992 infant mortality rate was 7.7 per 1,000 live births and the perinatal mortality rate was 8.5 per 1,000 total births. These are the latest figures in what represents a continuing downward trend.
It should be noted that on 1 October 1992 the legal definition of a stillbirth was altered from a baby born dead after 28 completed weeks' gestation or more to one born dead after 24 completed weeks' gestation or more.

§ Mr. Matthew Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest information about the rates of infant and perinatal mortality in the Mersey region.

§ Mr. Sackville
In Mersey region, the 1992 infant mortality rate was 5.7 per 1,000 live births, compared to the 1991 rate of 6.7, and the perinatal mortality rate was 6.6 per 1,000 total births, compared to the 1991 rate of 7.1.
It should be noted that on 1 October 1992 the legal definition of a stillbirth was altered from a baby born dead after 28 completed weeks' gestation or more to one born dead after 24 completed weeks' gestation or more.