HL Deb 19 January 1995 vol 560 cc58-9WA
Lord Braine of Wheatley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What information they have concerning the number of premature babies born in each of the last five years for which figures are available which have survived at

  1. (a) 23 weeks' gestation;
  2. (b) 24 weeks' gestation;
  3. (c) 25 weeks' gestation;
  4. (d) 26 weeks' gestation;
  5. (e) 27 weeks' gestation; and
  6. (f) 28 weeks' gestation.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)

Information on gestation is not collected at live birth registration in the United Kingdom. In England, information on gestational age is collected as part of the Maternity Hospital Episodes Statistics system. Due to incomplete coverage and inconsistencies in coding, no reliable estimates of numbers are yet available. The table shows Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales live birth information by gestation for the latest five years for which figures are available.

Live born premature babies by estimated gestation in Northern Ireland, 1991–93
Gestation (weeks)
23 24 25 26 27 28 Total livebirths
Year
1991 6 10 20 18 24 40 26,265
1992 7 9 14 16 30 24 25,572
1993 10 21 14 12 24 34 24,909

Complete figures are unavailable for the years prior to 1991.

Source: Department of Health & Social Services (Northern Ireland).

Live born premature babies by estimated gestation in Wales, 1989–1993
Gestation (weeks)
23 24 25 26 27 28 Total livebirths
Year
1989 9 20 14 37 30 54 38,019
1990 11 13 16 38 32 41 38,866
1991 10 23 21 28 27 56 38,079
1992 14 24 20 31 25 66 37,523
1993 4 16 19 39 32 52 36,578

Source: Welsh Health Common Services Authority.