Babies born to black mothers 81% more likely to die in neonatal care, NHS study shows

The analysis showed how ‘socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities independently shape survival in neonatal units’, the lead researcher said. Photograph: ER Productions Limited/Getty Images

Babies born to black mothers in England and Wales and those from the most deprived areas are significantly more likely to die while in neonatal units, according to analysis revealing the “deeply concerning” figures.

The study, led by academics at the University of Liverpool and published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, examined data on more than 700,000 babies admitted to an NHS neonatal unit across England and Wales between 2012 and 2022.