All articles tagged with #neonatal deaths
Despite a decline in overall neonatal deaths in the US, deaths related to malnutrition and slow fetal growth have increased by nearly 2% annually from 1999 to 2022, with over 280,000 infants dying from perinatal complications during this period, and a higher mortality rate observed in males due to differences in lung development and immune response.
Two midwives, Hazel Williams and Lisa Land, have been struck off the nursing register after failing to seek emergency care for two newborns, Jasper White and Margot Bowtell, who later died at the Cheltenham Birth Centre in Gloucestershire. The Nursing and Midwifery Council found that both babies might have survived if warning signs had been heeded. The panel criticized the midwives for lacking insight and remorse, and for falsifying medical notes. The decision aims to uphold public confidence in midwifery standards.
Healthcare leaders in North Carolina are raising concerns as syphilis cases surge, particularly among newborns. The state has already witnessed five stillbirths and neonatal deaths due to congenital syphilis this year. The trend mirrors a national increase reported by the CDC, with 3,761 babies born with syphilis in 2021 compared to 335 a decade ago. Experts attribute the rise to missed opportunities for prevention, including inadequate prenatal care and insufficient testing. Healthcare providers are being urged to screen pregnant women three times during their pregnancy, as the majority of syphilis infections in pregnant women are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has issued a public health alert after five stillbirths or neonatal deaths were linked to congenital syphilis. There has been a significant increase in reported syphilis cases among women in the state, leading to an associated rise in congenital syphilis infections. The department identified several areas of concern, including a lack of prenatal care, missed opportunities for testing during pregnancy, and inadequate or delayed treatment of maternal syphilis infections. It is crucial for all pregnant women to be screened for syphilis at least three times during pregnancy, as sexually transmitted infections can still be present without symptoms.