Deaths of newborn babies have hit a 15-year high in Scotland amid concerns over “unusual trends” in infant mortality.
Forty one neonatal deaths, defined as when a baby dies in the first 28 days of life, were recorded in the three months to the end of September.
The number equates to 3.4 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births, the highest rate recorded since September 2008.
The figures come amid an expert review into unexplained spikes in neonatal mortality in September 2021 and March 2022, when 39 infants died.
The Scottish government commissioned the review after an internal investigation by Public Health Scotland (PHS), the national body tasked with helping to reduce premature mortality. It concluded there was “no direct link” to Covid-19 infections, but said
