Fears Grow In The UK As Babies Are Getting Smaller

In a recent study in the UK, shocking new figures show that more babies are being born at dangerously low birth weights. A new think tank suggests that the NHS is neglecting teenage and older women pregnancies, working class mothers and lone parents

The Fabian Society, the 'left-leaning think-tank' has criticized today's' environment and general lack of after birth care from the NHS for this 'scar on the national conscience,' giving us cause for concern for the birth of future generations. Babies being born today have birth weights dangerously low compared to figures from 1989, and shockingly, still births are on the rise, and the group, nine times more likely to have a still birth is single mothers. The report has found that in 2006, 78 out of every 1,000 babies were born weighing less than 5lb8oz (2.5kg). In 1989, the figure out of 1,000 was only 67. The study also showed that babies born to working class mothers were twice as likely to die before their first birthday. This is primarily down to lack of financial help. Working class mums are more likely to be single, fail to attend anti-natal classes, drink and smoke around their babies and during pregnancy. Vital information needs to be available to these mothers in particular so they can receive better care. In the light of recent concerns that vital anti natal groups are being either closed or reduced dramatically, these desperate new figures are the result of cut backs in the NHS. Other concerns lead to women choosing to have a baby later in life, teenagers and single mothers who are less likely to look after themselves and attend anti-natal classes. In a bid to save the figures from rising, the society is calling for more financial help to 'high risk' mothers and better anti-natal care, just at a time when the NHS wants to reduce care to mums to be to cut back expenditure. The Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman has said, "We have made important progress since 1997 on reducing child poverty and creating the early years agenda. We must now be bolder and develop the new policies to make building a fairer society the central theme of Labour's next term in office." That's if Labour get in at the next election, even so, it is vital that all parties to take this information on board. The society has also said that it is the first few days of life that are crucial. It is normally when parents haven't got the right amount of care, and have been left to fend for themselves.