Queensland’s Record Number of Stillbirths and Baby Deaths By Mrs Vera West

The health authorities have noted that Queensland has the second highest number of stillbirths and baby deaths within 28 days of delivery in Australia. There were 2446 perinatal deaths nationally in 2022, including stillbirths and those that occurred within the first 28 days. That is 8.1 fatalities per 1000 births, which is alarmingly high.

The Queensland Health Minister was concerned enough to order a clinical review to try and find the cause of this peak death phenomenon. According to one researcher:"Queensland, for reasons that are not particularly clear to anyone at the moment, does seem to have a higher rate for both stillbirth neonatal deaths, and also for deaths in infancy up to one year of age." While our first instinct would be to blame the Covid vax for this, that is probably not so, since if it were, it would not explain Queensland having a higher death rate, as vax rates across the country were uniformly high. Some researchers have proposed social economic disadvantage as the cause, but other states and territories are worse off than Queensland, such as the Northern Territory. Hence, at present, cause unknown.

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/8507011/rise-in-queensland-baby-deaths-sparks-review/

"Queensland has recorded Australia's second highest number of stillbirths and baby deaths within 28 days of delivery.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says she is concerned by the latest Report on Government Services findings and has ordered a clinical review to identify potential causes and recommendations.

The report said there were 2446 perinatal deaths nationally in 2022, including stillbirths and those that occurred within the first 28 days of life.

That worked out to be around 8.1 fatalities per 1000 births.

In Queensland, there were 720 or 11.5 perinatal deaths per 1000 births.

The state trailed only the Northern Territory which recorded 19.9 deaths per 1000 births.

The Productivity Commission-produced research revealed figures have remained consistent nationally but Queensland has had a slight jump year after year.

In 2018 there were 488 or 7.8 perinatal deaths per 1000 births in Queensland.

Ms Fentiman said the state traditionally had a higher rate of perinatal deaths.

"It is something I'm concerned about," she told reporters on Thursday.

Leading researcher Professor Paul Colditz said Australia had one of the best statistics in terms of low birth deaths but when they did occur it was usually due to congenital issues or foetal growth restriction.

He said there was a strong association between baby deaths and disadvantage including remoteness, the First Nations gap or economic struggles.

But he said it remained a mystery why Queensland had a slightly higher rate of perinatal deaths.

"Queensland, for reasons that are not particularly clear to anyone at the moment, does seem to have a higher rate for both stillbirth neonatal deaths, and also for deaths in infancy up to one year of age," the University of Queensland perinatal researcher told AAP.

Ms Fentiman ordered the Queensland Maternal and Perinatal Quality Council to investigate the perinatal death increase by reviewing cases and providing recommendations to the government about what can be done to improve maternity services.

"I want Queensland to have the lowest rate going forward," she said.

South Australia recorded the lowest number of perinatal deaths with 4.6 per 1000 births followed by Victoria with 6.8 and the Australian Capital Territory which had 6.9."