Hundreds of babies are dying needlessly in England every year because their mothers smoke, drink, use drugs, or are obese, a new study suggests.

Researchers from UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health compared death rates of under-5s to those in Sweden, a country with similar levels of economic development and healthcare. They found that deaths occur one and half times more often in England, equating to 600 extra deaths a year.

Writing in The Lancet, the study authors said that poorer maternal health during pregnancy caused babies to be born prematurely and with a low birth weight. Children in England are also more likely to have more birth anomalies such as congenital heart defects than in Sweden.

“While child deaths are still rare, the UK has one of the highest child mortality rates in western Europe,” said lead author Dr Ania Zylbersztejn.

“Babies born prematurely or with low birth weight have an increased risk of early death, and those who survive are more likely to have chronic ill health or disability.

“Families need to be better supported before and during pregnancy to improve maternal health, and in turn to give all children a healthy start in life.”