Lyn Brown MP, pledges support for charity campaign asking, why do 17 babies die every single day in the UK?

Lyn Brown, MP for West Ham, has attended a special parliamentary reception, on 4 March 2009, to launch the Why 17? Campaign.

Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, held a reception at the House of Commons, to raise awareness of the fact that every hour and half in the UK a baby is stillborn or dies shortly after birth. This is equivalent to 17 lives every day. There are strong indications that such deaths can be avoided and babies’ lives saved.

At the event, Lyn was presented with Sands’ new report, Saving Babies’ Lives Report 2009 which, backed up by new research, highlights several problem areas that are contributing to this level of baby loss, the long-lasting impact of these deaths, and recommends changes that could save babies’ lives.

Lyn Brown said,

“I was shocked to discover that there are 6,500 stillbirth and neonatal deaths every year in the UK, and that many families in West Ham will have experienced the tragic loss of a baby in this way. The new Saving Babies’ Lives Report outlines the key issues, problem areas and recommendations for change, and I am fully committed to supporting Sands in their call for action now to make a difference, so that many more lives can be saved.”