CHILD deaths throughout East Lancashire are being probed in a bid to find the reasons behind the region’s shocking infant mortality rate.

Babies born in Nelson are more likely to die within their first year of life than those born anywhere else in the country, and infant mortality figures for Hyndburn and Burnley are amongst the worst in the country.

Tackling the number of infant deaths is one of NHS East Lancashire’s main priorities in its SMYL (Save a Million Years of Life) campaign - to raise everyone’s life expectancy by an average of two years by 2011.

But first, bosses need to find out the reasons why so many babies are dying. During 2005-2007, the average infant mortality rate in England and Wales was 4.8 per 1000 live births. In East Lancashire, including Blackburn with Darwen, the average was 6 per 1000.

The study will look back at 187 infant deaths to identify preventable risks, which could include smoking, drinking, and genetic factors.

Karen Thompson, Locum Consultant in Public Health, who is leading the study, said: “We know that the general health of the population, particular those who live in our more disadvantaged communities, can partly explain why some of these infants die in their first year of life.

“Many of the risk factors we expect to identify from this work will relate to healthy lifestyles. For example if you drink excessive amounts of alcohol, are involved in drug misuse or smoke during or after pregnancy, you are putting your baby’s life at risk.

“We recognise that this study may expose other issues and we need to make sure every factor is explored so we can help parents prevent deaths in the future.”

She will be working with GPs, health visitors, midwives, paediatricians and social services to carry out the study, which is set to take several months, as well as to plan strategies to tackle the problems in the future.

Director of public health Ellis Friedman added: “This important study should allow us to devise an evidence-based plan to tackle the tragedy suffered by parents who lose a child in the first year of life, and vastly improve the chances of every baby born in East Lancashire.”