Tēnā koutou,

Being seen. Sudden infant deaths happen silently, often at night, scattered through communities. Because they do not happen as a group tragedy, they too easily  go unnoticed. Not by us, though. Not by the teams in this network. And not if we make them visible as a group. This post is to launch our Infant Survival Watch so that you have updated and timely information with which to fuel your interventions.

Survival picture. First, though, a picture of the current survival chances of New Zealand babies. In 2022 there were 57531 live births and 207 deaths of babies under one year. Eighty-four babies (40%) died in their first week. The remaining 123 babies were in the post-perinatal (PPN) age when more deaths are considered preventable. Seventy-seven were between 7-91 days and 45 between 92-364 days. How many of those 77 babies had a better chance at survival because they had an in-bed-capable sleep space? What might that number be if the answer was 'All of them'?

Our Infant Survival Watch will monitor PPN mortality rates by region and ethnicity across each quarter. It will provide a timely context for monitoring how well we are tracking with the twin goals of improved survival and equality for New Zealand babies.

Mā te wā, Stephanie