Perinatal deaths in the Faroe Islands during 1986-95

Area of Science:

• Perinatal epidemiology
• Public health
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Perinatal mortality rates in the Faroe Islands were historically higher than in other Nordic countries.
• Investigating the specific causes of perinatal mortality is crucial for targeted public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the causes of perinatal mortality in the Faroe Islands between 1986 and 1995.
• To compare these findings with the preceding decade and with Denmark during a parallel period.

Main Methods:

• A classification system (C1, C2, C3) was used to categorize cases based on fetal/obstetric and fetal/neonatal factors.
• Data were collected from hospital records, midwife records, birth certificates, death certificates, and autopsy reports.
• Comparative analysis included data from the Faroe Islands (1976-1985) and Denmark (1986-1995).

Main Results:

• Perinatal mortality in the Faroe Islands decreased from 13.7 to 10.3 per 1,000 births.
• The reduction was primarily due to fewer cases of preeclampsia, antepartum bleedings (C1), and antepartum asphyxia (C2).
• Despite the overall decrease, cases attributed to congenital malformations increased, and the pattern differed from Denmark, which had higher rates of preterm birth (C3) related deaths.

Conclusions:

• Perinatal mortality rates in the Faroe Islands have declined, though they remain higher than in Denmark.
• The observed improvement is attributed to enhanced perinatal services, leading to reductions in preventable deaths.
• Further focus on congenital malformations and preterm birth complications may be necessary to further reduce rates.