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The abortion rate has dropped for the second year running in England and Wales, statistics show.

But experts said it was still too early to say whether there was a downward trend.

The total number of abortions was 189,100 in 2009 – a rate of 17.5 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, according to the Department of Health figures.

This compares to 18.2 in 2008 and comes after a general upward trend for the past 40 years which peaked in 2007.

The abortion rate in Scotland also fell last year to 12.4 per 1,000.

Funding

Ann Furedi, of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the largest abortion provider in the UK, said: "Abortion figures tend to fluctuate slightly year-on-year so we can’t call this a trend yet, especially with the background of the last few decades’ gradual rise."

And she added: "Unintended pregnancy and abortion will always be facts of life because women want to make sure the time is right for them to take on the important role of becoming a parent.

"Abortion statistics are reflective of women’s very serious consideration regarding that significant role within their current situation."

At the beginning of the 1970s the abortion rate was around the 8 per 1,000 figure, but after almost continuous year-on-year increases it rose to 18.6 two years ago.

Since then it has fallen, but experts remain cautious as in previous years there have been slight drops or a levelling off which have not been sustained in the long-term.

The figures also show that the proportion of abortions carried out before 10 weeks has risen, with many putting this down to the increase in funding which has improved access over the past decade.

The abortion rate was highest at 33 per 1,000 among women aged 19, 20 and 21, although that too has dropped since last year.

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Premature birth risk appears to be genetic, say researchers after finding early births tend to run in families.

Women born prematurely or who have brothers or sisters who were born too early are 50-60% more likely to have a premature baby themselves, they say.

The University of Aberdeen study is based on maternity records of 22,343 Scottish mothers and their daughters.

Obstetrics & Gynecology journal says the work may help others to predict and plan for these high risk births.

Premature birth is a leading cause of death in newborns and can lead to long-term problems such as cerebral palsy.

Attempts to predict and prevent spontaneous preterm births have compromised by gaps in our understanding of what causes the condition, say the researchers.

Lead author of the study Dr Sohinee Bhattacharya said: "Our research supports a genetic predisposition to preterm birth.

"Further research should focus on the identification of candidate genes for the condition."

Inherited risk

The study authors say their findings should help because they are robust.

The dataset they used came from the Aberdeen Maternity Neonatal Databank which is considered unique and particularly useful to researchers.

This is because the city has such a stable population and the majority of women in the Aberdeen city area give birth in the same hospital.

All the records related to single births only and did not include twins or other multiple pregnancies.

The researchers found that mothers-to-be who had been born prematurely were, on average, 60% more likely to have a premature baby if it was their first pregnancy.

For any subsequent pregnancies their risk was 50%.

Andy Cole, Chief Executive of Bliss, the special care baby charity, said: "We welcome any research that helps us better understand the causes of preterm birth and identify those at high risk.

"While this study’s findings are interesting, further research is still needed in this area.

"The development of a reliable test for premature birth is vital in ensuring our most vulnerable babies have the best possible outcomes."

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One in three adults in the UK do not brush their teeth for the recommended full two minutes per day, experts believe.

The British Dental Health Foundation found a third cut brushing short to deal with more pressing matters.

Excuses given by the 1,000 adults polled included rushing to leave the house on time, as well as answering mobile phones or caring for children.

Experts stressed good brushing is essential to prevent tooth decay.

Chief Executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter said: "Your dentist can remove any build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth, but everyday care is vital and is down to the individual.

"Your toothbrush is one of the best weapons against gum disease."

He said many studies over the years had shown that the average time we brush our teeth for is only around 45 seconds, less than half of that necessary to do a good job.

"Yet our study shows people think they are doing considerably better than this," he said.

"Gum disease is the largest cause of tooth loss in adults, and poor oral health is being linked to more and more serious illnesses such as strokes and diabetes, but it is a preventable condition, and a good oral health routine at home is key to preventing it."

Experts advise people to brush their teeth for a full two minutes twice a day, with fluoride toothpaste to keep the mouth clean and healthy.

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Two social workers involved in the Baby Peter case have admitted failing to follow procedures to protect him in the months before his death.

Maria Ward and Gillian Christou accept they did not keep adequate records in the case, a General Social Care Council (GSCC) conduct committee heard.

The pair did not attend the hearing as they feared more negative publicity.

Peter Connelly, of Haringey, north London, died of abuse in 2007, despite being seen by social services.

Ms Ward admitted she did not follow Peter’s child protection plan in relation to visiting frequency between 1 June and 11 July 2007, and did not ensure she knew his precise location for a period of time in July 2007.

Media coverage

Ms Christou, her team manager at Haringey Council, admitted failing to document evidence of a risk management plan and to ensure Peter’s child protection plan was followed.

The GSCC panel will now decide whether the admitted failings amount to misconduct and, if so, what sanction to impose.

The social workers’ barrister Nick Toms said they felt unable to take part in the proceedings because they feared more negative media coverage would ensue.

"They both became social workers to care for children at risk such as Peter Connelly. They did not intend or desire the outcome in this case and deeply regret what happened," he said.

"They have fully co-operated with every investigation into the circumstances of Peter Connelly’s death.

"However, they feel unable to attend this hearing because of the way this case has been dealt with by some in the media."

Both women were sacked last year by Haringey Council and they received interim 17-month suspension orders banning them from practising social work.

However, those orders were lifted in April 2010.

Peter was 17 months old when he died in Tottenham, north London, on 3 August 2007.

He had been seen by social workers 60 times before he was found dead with more than 50 injuries.

His mother Tracey Connelly, 28, and her partner Steven Barker have been told they would serve minimum jail terms of five and 12 years over the death.

Barker’s brother Jason Owen was jailed for three years.

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The doctor who first suggested a link between MMR vaccinations and autism is to find out whether he will be punished by the medical regulator.

The General Medical Council is due to decide if Dr Andrew Wakefield is guilty of serious professional misconduct.

If found guilty, the regulator could impose sanctions, such as striking him off the medical register.

Dr Wakefield’s 1998 Lancet study, later discredited, caused vaccination rates to fall resulting in a rise in measles.

The hearing comes after the GMC ruled in January he had acted "dishonestly and irresponsibly" in doing his research.

The GMC case did not investigate whether Dr Wakefield’s findings were right or wrong, instead it was focused on the methods of research.

The panel which made the ruling criticised Dr Wakefield for the invasive tests that were carried out on children against the best clinical interests.

It said Dr Wakefield, who was working at London’s Royal Free Hospital as a gastroenterologist at the time, did not have the ethical approval or relevant qualifications for such tests.

The GMC also took exception with the way he gathered blood samples following revelations the doctor paid children £5 for the samples at his son’s birthday party.

In delivering the verdict, the GMC panel said he had acted with "callous disregard for the distress and pain the children might suffer".

It also said Dr Wakefield should have disclosed the fact that he had been paid to advise solicitors acting for parents who believed their children had been harmed by the MMR.

Two of Dr Wakefield’s former colleagues at the Royal Free were also ruled to have broken guidelines.

Professor John Walker-Smith and Professor Simon Murch both helped Dr Wakefield carry out the research. They will also learn of their fate later.

After the January verdict, Dr Wakefield, who now lives in the US, said he was "extremely disappointed by the outcome" as the allegations were "unfounded and unjust".

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The UK is lagging behind other high income countries on cutting child mortality, international figures show.

Along with the USA, New Zealand and South Korea, child deaths in the UK have not fallen as quickly as expected.

The research confirms the UK has the highest child mortality rate – 5.3 per 1,000 live births – in Western Europe.

But new global estimates published by The Lancet show that in many poorer countries, the decline in deaths in the under-fives is speeding up.

The analysis done by a team at the University of Washington in Seattle found stark differences in child deaths between high-income countries.

As well as having the worst child mortality in Western Europe, globally the UK fell from 12th best in 1970 to 33rd best in 2010.

The UK has reduced its mortality by three quarters since 1970, and by almost half since 1990, but Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Spain have all overtaken the UK in the past four decades.

Global targets

Overall, the researchers found that deaths in children under the age of five are actually lower than the latest estimate provided by Unicef.

Worldwide mortality in children younger than five years has dropped from 11·9 million deaths in 1990 to an estimated 7·7 million deaths in 2010.

A third of those deaths occur in south Asia and half occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

The researchers said the latest data show that cuts in child mortality have been faster than projected in many poorer countries.

In 13 regions of the world, including all regions in sub-Saharan Africa, the figures suggested faster declines from 2000 to 2010 compared with the previous decade.

Study leader Dr Christopher Murray said the apparent acceleration of progress in poorer countries was encouraging evidence that it was worth intensifying efforts further.

He said improved education for women, the lessening negative impact of HIV, and expansion in programmes such as bed nets and vaccination had all played a part in the improvements seen in developing countries in the past decade.

Dr Murray agreed that the UK had seen a "big slide" in its ranking in terms of child mortality.

"When you get to these low levels of child mortality seen in high income countries, healthcare probably is an important component in the variation.

"Most of the deaths in places like the UK will be neonatal and you would have to look in more detail at what aspects of healthcare might explain that difference."

A Department of Health spokesman said infant mortality in the UK is at its lowest ever level.

"However, the death of any child is one death too many and we must continue to do all we can to prevent those we can.

"This is why every child death is now subject to a detailed review to understand why children die and what steps can be taken to protect other children."

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This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

View full post on BBC News | Health | Full Feed

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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