Neo Natal Death
Neo Natal Death Facts
Neo Natal Death is defined as Babies that are born alive at any gestation and then die at any time within 28 days of life.
Neo natal death can happen in many different ways for babies and their parents.
- Sometimes baby's can have a pre diagnosed terminal condition
- Babies can sometimes been born early (often too early/ before a viable gestation) and fight for life but pass away within hours/days/weeks of being born
- Sometimes baby's are born and everything seems perfect then an illness or condition is diagnosed (babies sometimes having major operations) but they dont make it
- Sometimes a perfect pregnancy can turn tragically for the worst during childbirth
Here we have some shared feelings and experiences from other parents who have experienced the neo natal death of their baby
- It can sometimes be very hard to watch other babies doing well in nicu, whilst your little baby struggles and doesn't make it. Hopefully you are directed to counselling
- Ask for a second opinion
- Know that you can change/request specific medical staff or hospital
- Be pro active and have control over your babies care
- Take many many photos / videos at all times even with all the tubes and machines in the way
- Ask whether palliative care at home is an option
- Learn as much as possible about your babies condition diagnosis
- Ask that the birth/death certificate regulations regarding your baby/babies birth/death is explained to you
- Continue to write down questions as they come up as in most cases there will be a follow up appointments to discuss your baby/babies passing and this can be a very confronting and emotive time so having the questions already written down can help with this
- It may also help to take someone else who can also listen and take down notes to follow up on at a later stage if required
Personal Quotes
Sometimes all of our best expectations are turned upside down & what we thought was going to be a wonderful thing, turns out to be something entirely different. Lisa in memory ~Sophie~
In our case the paediatrician that treated Nicholas was the person who we felt most comfortable with – with this in mind we requested that all autopsy results went to him ( we asked him if we could ) so that this could be discussed with him and not someone that we didn’t feel comfortable with. Nicole in memory of ~Nicholas~
Neo Natal Death Statistics
In 2006 38 Babies died from Neo Natal Death. More information can be found at National Pregnancy Outcome Statistics Unit
