The stillbirth rate in Wales has been consistently higher than the rate for the rest of the UK.
There has also been a lack of sustained progress in reducing the rate of babies dying shortly after birth in Wales.
Despite this, the Welsh Government have still not set any targets to reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Wales. In England, there is an ambition to half the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths.
A group of bereaved parents in Wales have written a petition to whoever forms the next Welsh Government in 2026. They are demanding urgent action to save babies' lives and for better care for bereaved parents following loss.
These issues have been ignored for too long. Bereaved parents across Wales are demanding accountability and real change.
Join their campaign by adding your name to the petition.
- Darllenwch y ddeiseb yn y Gymraeg / Read the petition in Welsh
I Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru,
Ysgrifennwn y ddeiseb hon i chi fel grŵp o rieni mewn profedigaeth o Gymru sydd wedi colli beichiogrwydd neu golli babi.
Bydd yn rhaid i bwy bynnag a fydd yn ffurfio Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru yn 2026 roi targedau ar waith i achub bywydau mwy o fabanod a gweithredu ar frys i wella’r gofal sydd ar gael i rieni a theuluoedd mewn profedigaeth yng Nghymru.
Mae’r materion hyn wedi cael eu hanwybyddu'n rhy hir – mae angen newid arnom.
Achub bywydau babanod
Mae’r gyfradd marw-enedigaethau yng Nghymru wedi bod yn uwch na chyfradd y DU yn gyson.
Yn syfrdanol, nid yw’r gyfradd marw-enedigaethau wedi gostwng am gyfnod parhaus ers 2018.
Hefyd, nid oes digon o gynnydd parhaus wedi cael ei wneud o ran gostwng y gyfradd marwolaethau newyddenedigol yng Nghymru.
Er gwaethaf yr ystadegau syfrdanol hyn, nid oes targedau i leihau marw-enedigaethau a marwolaethau newyddenedigol yng Nghymru o hyd.
Yn Lloegr, ceir uchelgais i haneru nifer y marw-enedigaethau a marwolaethau newyddenedigol.
Yn drasig, gallai dros 1,000 o fabanod yng Nghymru fod wedi goroesi pe bai’r cyfraddau marw-enedigaethau a marwolaethau newyddenedigol wedi bod ar yr un lefel â’r gwledydd â’r perfformiad gorau yn Ewrop rhwng 2019 a 2023.
Hefyd, nid yw'n gyfrinach bod gwasanaethau mamolaeth yng Nghymru mewn argyfwng.
Mae cyfraddau marwolaethau uchel, ynghyd â chau gwasanaethau a nifer o sgandalau diogelwch uchel eu proffil mewn gwahanol ysbytai, wedi cyfrannu at sefyllfa drasig a thaer – ac mae staff rheng flaen dan bwysau enfawr.
Mae angen newid.
Bydd yn rhaid i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru roi targedau clir ar waith i leihau marw-enedigaethau a marwolaethau newyddenedigol.
Bydd yn rhaid iddi hefyd flaenoriaethu gwneud gofal mamolaeth yn fwy diogel.
Rhaid i ni weithio gyda’n gilydd i achub bywydau mwy o fabanod.
Gofal i rieni mewn profedigaeth ar ôl colled
Ceir diffyg enfawr o ran gofal a chymorth i bobl sy'n colli beichiogrwydd neu'n colli babi yng Nghymru.
Yn gyson, bydd gormod o deuluoedd mewn profedigaeth yn mynd heb y gofal tosturiol y maent yn ei haeddu pan fydd eu babi'n marw – ar unwaith yn yr ysbyty ac yn ystod yr wythnosau a’r misoedd dilynol.
Mae pob rhiant mewn profedigaeth yn haeddu mynediad at ofal mewn profedigaeth a gofal iechyd meddwl cyson sydd wedi'u teilwra.
Rhaid i wasanaethau profedigaeth gael eu hariannu a'u cefnogi'n briodol.
Pan fydd teulu mewn profedigaeth yn mynd drwy feichiogrwydd eto yn y dyfodol, mae’n hanfodol rhoi’r cymorth gorau posibl iddo drwy glinig enfys.
Rhaid i’r holl wybodaeth a roddir i rieni mewn profedigaeth yn dilyn colled fod yn hygyrch i bobl ag amrywiaeth eang o anghenion cyfathrebu.
Rhaid i adolygiadau ac ymchwiliadau fod yn dosturiol ac yn dryloyw, a dilyn dull sy'n canolbwyntio ar y rhieni.
Ceir anghydraddoldebau rhanbarthol sylweddol ledled Cymru o ran mynediad at y gwasanaethau hyn.
Yn aml, bydd gan gymunedau mwy gwledig lai o fynediad at gymorth arbenigol ac ni chaiff gwasanaethau eu teilwra yn unol ag anghenion gwahanol gymunedau ledled Cymru.
Nid yw hyn yn iawn.
Mae pob rhiant mewn profedigaeth yng Nghymru yn haeddu mynediad teg at ofal tosturiol o ansawdd da.
Atebolrwydd a newid
Rhaid i ni dorri’r distawrwydd.
Ers gormod o amser, mae colli babi a phrofedigaeth wedi bod yn bynciau na chânt eu trafod yng Nghymru.
Ers gormod o amser, ceir diffyg atebolrwydd gan y llywodraeth a gwleidyddion.
Ers gormod o amser, nid oes neb wedi bod yn gwrando ar deuluoedd mewn profedigaeth yng Nghymru.
Rydym yn galw am ymrwymiadau cadarn gan Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru a holl bleidiau gwleidyddol Cymru – i osod targedau penodol i achub bywydau babanod, a chyflwyno gofal cyson i rieni a theuluoedd mewn profedigaeth ledled Cymru gyfan.
Gobeithio y byddwch yn gwrando arnom.
Yn gywir,
Jazzmin Roberts, Claire Roberts, Ruth Mason, Daniel Lazenby, Sarah-Jayne Bartley, Jess Sim, Phillipa Reeks
Ewch i frig y dudalen - Read the petition in English
To the next Welsh Government,
We are writing this petition to you as a group of Welsh bereaved parents who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss.
Whoever forms the next Welsh Government in 2026 must implement targets to save more babies’ lives and take urgent action to improve care for bereaved parents and families in Wales.
These issues have been ignored for too long – we need change.
Saving babies' lives
The stillbirth rate in Wales has been consistently higher than the rate for the UK. Shockingly, there has been no sustained drop in the stillbirth rate since 2018. There has also been a lack of sustained progress in reducing the neonatal mortality rate in Wales.
Despite these shocking statistics, there are still no targets to reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Wales. In England, there is an ambition to half the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths.
Tragically, over 1,000 babies in Wales may have survived if stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates had been the same as the best performing countries in Europe between 2019-2023.
It's also no secret that maternity services in Wales are in crisis. High death rates, combined with closed services, and numerous high-profile safety scandals at different hospitals, have contributed to a tragic and urgent situation - with frontline staff under huge pressure.
Change is needed. The next Welsh Government must implement clear targets to reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths. They must also prioritise making maternity care safer. We must work together to save more babies’ lives.
Care for bereaved parents after loss
There is a huge lack of care and support for people who experience pregnancy or baby loss in Wales. Too many bereaved families are not consistently receiving the compassionate care they deserve when their baby dies – both immediately in hospital, and in the weeks and months that follow.
Every bereaved parent deserves access to consistent, personalised bereavement and mental health care. Bereavement services must be properly funded and supported. When a bereaved family has a subsequent pregnancy, it’s essential that they are given the best possible support through a rainbow clinic. All information given to bereaved parents following a loss must be accessible for a wide range of communication needs. Reviews and investigations must be parent-centred, compassionate, and transparent.
There are stark regional inequalities across Wales in access to these services. More rural communities often have less access to specialist support, and services are often not tailored to the needs of the different communities across Wales. This is wrong. Every bereaved parent in Wales deserves equitable access to compassionate and high-quality care.
Accountability and change
We must break the silence.
For too long, baby loss and bereavement have been unspoken topics in Wales.
For too long, there has been a lack of accountability from the government and politicians.
For too long, Welsh bereaved families have not been listened to.
We are calling for firm commitments from the next Welsh Government and all Welsh political parties – to set specific targets to save babies’ lives, and rollout consistent care for bereaved parents and families across all of Wales.
We hope you will listen.
Yours sincerely,
Jazzmin Roberts, Claire Roberts, Ruth Mason, Daniel Lazenby, Sarah-Jayne Bartley, Jess Sim, Phillipa Reeks
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