Survival Rates For Infants Born Before 24 Weeks' Gestation In U.K. Unchanged, Study Finds

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 13 May 2008 - 10:00 PST

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The survival rate of infants born before 24 weeks' gestation in the United Kingdom did not change from 1994 to 2005, according to a study published Friday in the journal BMJ, Reuters UK reports. According to Reuters UK, the research came as British Members of Parliament prepare to debate whether to reduce the time during which women can legally receive an abortion in the country from 24 weeks' gestation to 20 weeks' gestation (Castle, Reuters UK, 5/9).

For the study, David Field, professor of neonatal medicine at the University of Leicester, and colleagues compared survival rates during two time periods among infants born between 22 and 26 weeks' gestation in 16 hospitals in England's Trent region. About 500 infants were born in both the 1994 to 1999 time period and the 2000 to 2005 period (BBC News, 5/9). The study found that there was no improvement in survival between the two periods for infants born at 23 weeks' gestation, which remained at 18%. Of the 150 infants born at 22 weeks' gestation, none survived, the study found (Moss, Scotsman, 5/9).

There was significant improvement in the survival rates of infants born at 24 and 25 weeks' gestation. The survival rate of infants born at 24 weeks' gestation increased from 24% to 41%, and the rate for infants born at 25 weeks' gestation increased from 52% to 63%. According to BBC News, the study supports preliminary findings from national research published last month (BBC News, 5/9). According to Field, medical advances that had aided older infants failed to assist younger ones. "Doing exactly the same thing for these more immature babies doesn't seem to have made any difference at all," Field said, adding, "It's as if there is some maturity effect that kicks in around 23 and 24 weeks" (Reuters UK, 5/9).

Reaction

Tony Calland, chair of the British Medical Association's ethics committee, said the research gave further weight to the agency's view that there is no scientific justification for lowering the abortion time limit. "Although the vast majority of abortions take place in the first trimester, there are still women who need abortion services later on in their pregnancy," Calland said, adding, "To lower the abortion limit would leave a number of women in dire circumstances." Andrew Ferguson of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said, "Two-thirds of the public, two-thirds of [general practitioners] and three-quarters of all women want the upper limit (for abortion) reduced significantly." He added, "These findings will not alter their views, and we urge Parliament to take public opinion into consideration" (Scotsman, 5/9).

MP Nadine Dorries of the Conservative Party on her Web site said the "report is the most desperate piece of tosh produced by the pro-choice lobby, and it smells of one thing -- desperation" (BBC News, 5/9). David Cameron, head of the Conservative Party, has said he would support further reduction in the time limit. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the Labour Party has said the prime minister would not vote for a change in the limit (Reuters UK, 5/9).

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