§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked 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
- (a) 23 weeks' gestation;
- (b) 24 weeks' gestation;
- (c) 25 weeks' gestation;
- (d) 26 weeks' gestation;
- (e) 27 weeks' gestation; and
- (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.
59WA
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.