The number of stillborn babies born at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals has dropped over the last three years.

More than 54,000 mothers have given birth at the NHS Trust’s wards, including the closed Pembury, since 2003, but 240 of these women were given the news their baby had not survived.

The rate peaked in 2007 and 2009, with 29 infant fatalities, but this fell to 20 in 2011 and 2012.

Eight have been registered between January and June this year.

Gillian Duffey, head of midwifery, said: “Stillbirths are tragic and traumatic for families, and staff, but we must emphasise that they are very rare and, generally, make up less than half a per cent of the total number we see.

“In the last three years, numbers of stillbirths have decreased nationally and locally, with our trust’s figures well under the national average.”

According to the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (Sands), one in every 200 babies are stillborn in the UK – the equivalent of 17 a day – and one in every 300 die within four weeks of life.

A baby is considered stillborn if it dies after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

More than 50% are perfectly formed and their mother’s pregnancies were considered to be low risk, with experts unable to find a reason for the death of the unborn baby.

The most common causes are placental problems, congenital abnormalities, maternal disorders, pre-eclampsia, and infection.