Little change in preemie survival rate

A report released prior to a high-profile British government debate on abortion has found that survival rates of babies born before the 24-week limit have only minimally improved in the past decade.

While more infants born after 24 and 25 weeks' gestation survive to hospital discharge, this spike in survival rates is not true of babies born earlier.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, noted that despite more than half the babies born at 23 weeks being admitted to intensive care, there was no improvement in survival rates in this group over the 12 years of a study. Only 18% were found to ever leave hospital.

The University of Leicester research preempts a difficult debate on Britain's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, that has been targeted by campaigners on both sides of the abortion debate.

Anti-abortion lobbyists have asked authorities for the current 24-week limit to be lowered to 20 weeks because of an improved rate of survival.

But the Leicester study showed none of the 150 babies born at 22 weeks survived to leave hospital. This figure has not changed in 12 years.

Those born at 24 weeks showed a significant rise in survival rates from 36 to 47%.

In a statement, Dr Tony Calland, the chairman of the BMA's medical ethics committee, said the Leicester research gave the latest picture of survival rates in Britain.

He said: "Today's research in the BMJ gives further weight to the BMA's view that there is no scientific justification for lowering the 24-week abortion limit."

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