Deprivation, lifestyle and close blood relationships are the main causes of the high infant mortality rate in Luton, a year-long review has found.
The Infant Mortality Task and Finish Group presented their findings to the Luton Borough Council overview and scrutiny board last night.
It is hoped the findings and recommendations of the report will help to reduce the town’s infant mortality rate, which is the seventh highest in the country with 7.5 infant deaths per 1,000 compared to the national average of 4.5.
Chair of the group, Councillor Roxanna Whittaker, said in her foreword to the report: “The death of a child is a tragedy for the family and the wider community. In Luton, the significantly higher than national infant mortality rate has been a cause for concern for some years.
“Infant mortality is a complex and sensitive subject...I hope the recommendations will help improve outcomes and have a positive impact on families and babies in Luton.”
The review found that there is significant evidence that the high rate of infant mortality in Luton can be partly attributable to genetic anomalies as a result of consanguinity (relationships between blood relatives).
The genetic effects of consanguinity are far more prevalent in Luton’s Pakistani/Kashmiri community, although this is not the only community where consanguineous relationships are known to exist.
The number of infant deaths in Luton’s British Pakistani community is “disproportionately high”, at 50 per cent of the total, even though the British Pakistani population of Luton is 18.5 per cent. In 2009, 25 per cent of Luton babies were born to Pakistani mothers.
The report said that consanguineous marriage is a “cultural norm” in Luton and it is important couples are aware of the risks so they can make informed choices. Further research is required to establish the understanding in these communities and to decide what action to take to reduce the number of babies born with genetic anomalies and life-limiting disorders.
Deprivation and lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse is the other main factor. Suggestions are made for how the public health agenda can tackle this, although there are concerns that welfare reform may adversely impact it.
The report concludes: “It is our hope that this report stimulates debate within the community on how to tackle these issues.”