A comparison of reported differences in definitions of vital events and statistics.

Concepts

Public HealthMaternal HealthObstetricsMaternal MortalityMaternal-fetal MedicinePerinatal EpidemiologyBirth CareFetal Death ReportingInfant MortalityNeonatal MortalityPerinatal MortalityVital Statistics ReportingFetal MortalityInfant Mortality ReportingPerinatal Death RatePerinatal Mortality EpidemiologyPerinatal Mortality ReportingPerinatal Mortality Statistics

Abstract

The international comparability of statistics on perinatal mortality is examined using the results of a survey questionnaire completed in 1980 by each country participating in the WHO European Region Perinatal Study Group. The questionnaire covered legal organizational and functional aspects of care for pregnant women women giving birth and newborn babies; the focus of the present paper is on the registration of vital events. The differences in recording and reporting births fetal deaths and infant deaths among and within countries are considered. (ANNOTATION)