Maternity systems are stretched, expert warns

Budget cutbacks could provide a challenge in keeping Ireland's perinatal mortality rate relatively low, an expert warned today.

The number of deaths of babies in the weeks before or after birth in Ireland compares favourably with the UK and other European countries, according to new research published today.

The first clinical audit into Ireland's perinatal mortality rate has been published, showing that a total of 491 deaths occurred from more than 74,000 births in 2011.

The majority were stillbirths and deaths within the first seven days after delivery and were caused by major congenital abnormality.

However, Paul Corcoran, a senior lecturer at the Department of Obstetrics in UCC, said that while the Irish rate compares well with other countries, there is still room for improvement.

"There's no doubt that there's room for improvement," he said.

"I think there's challenges obviously, we've had austerity and cutbacks and so on, so the systems are stretched, there's a difficulty in that regard.

"Hopefully we can make improvements but also if resources are increased as well that should provide the most likely chance for favourable improvements."