Government statistics of certified causes of perinatal mortality in Moscow and certain problems with its improvement

While preparing the Ninth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death (1970-1975), the World Health Organisation sought ways of improving the accuracy of statistics of perinatal mortality. A new Certificate of Cause of Perinatal Death, developed for use in all regions of the USSR and introduced there in 1974, was recommended for introduction in other countries. This was based on the reorganised and more clear-cut coding outlined in Chapter XV of ICD-9. Comparison of the perinatal death rates in 1975 with those in 1986 showed a fall from 25 to 20 per 1000 births, with changes in causes related to changes on classification. Cross-tabulation of multiple-cause perinatal death was made possible by coding maternal conditions affecting the fetus or newborn separately from fetal conditions originating in the perinatal period. Analysis of the results of tabulation of multiple-cause perinatal death in Moscow in 1986 proceeded to a proposed structure for a Basic Tabulation List allowing comparisons of the statistics of perinatal mortality.