EU's infant mortality rates paint an unexpectedly bleak picture across bloc

Published connected 04/06/2025 - 16:54 GMT+2•Updated 16:57

The babe mortality complaint has accrued successful astatine slightest 8 EU countries successful 2024, according to nan latest figures from nan countries' nationalist statistic offices.

The babe mortality complaint refers to nan number of deaths of children nether 1 twelvemonth of property per 1,000 unrecorded births.

In 2024, some France and Romania reported babe mortality rates surpassing nan EU mean of 3.3 deaths per 1,000 unrecorded births from 2023.  

Romania knowledgeable a important emergence successful its rate, jumping from 2.1 deaths per 1,000 unrecorded births successful 2023 to 6.4 successful 2024.  

This is followed by France, which saw nan complaint double from 2 deaths per 1,000 unrecorded births successful 2023 to 4.1 deaths per 1,000 unrecorded births.   

This intends that 1 kid retired of 250 dies earlier nan property of 1 successful France, according to nan French Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).   

Since 2015, France's babe mortality complaint has consistently been higher than nan EU average.  

Boys are 1.2 times much apt than girls to dice earlier nan property of 1 and twins aliases triplets are 5 times much astatine consequence than immoderate different children.

Between 2023 and 2024, Portugal knowledgeable a 20% summation successful babe mortality rates, a inclination that deviates from nan country's wide mortality rate.  

The causes down this inclination are not clear, but respective factors whitethorn contribute, including nan expanding property of mothers, an summation successful aggregate pregnancies and geographic inequality of entree to maternal wellness care, according to wellness experts.

On nan different hand, Latvia and Sweden person nan lowest babe mortality complaint successful nan EU.

Currently, Lithuania, Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark and Slovenia only person estimated numbers.

How does nan EU wellness image look?

2024 was a twelvemonth marked by wellness unit shortages and nan closure of immoderate maternity hospitals successful countries like Portugal, Germany and France. 

During nan summertime of 2024, 10 Portuguese maternity wards were closed aliases pinch restrictions.

This followed nan government's position of a Health Emergency and Transformation Plan to beryllium implemented successful 3 months to guarantee wide entree to healthcare.

In nan past decade successful France, 15% of mini maternity units person closed.

Over nan past 2 decades, nan number of doctors and nurses per capita has accrued substantially successful astir EU countries.

However, nan workforce is ageing and liking successful health careers among young group is declining owed to debased salaries and mediocre moving conditions.