Incompleteness and inaccuracies in Certificates of Live Birth in a city in Southern Brazil

To evaluate inadequacies in Certificates of Live Birth in a city in Southern Brazil between 2011 and 2015.

This is a retrospective quantitative study based on Certificates of Live Birth of mothers living in Itapema, Santa Catarina, issued from 2011 to 2015, using data from the Live Birth Information System.

Among 3,537 certificates, we found no mistakes in the variables newborn's sex, birth weight, maternal age, type of pregnancy, and type of delivery. Concerning incompleteness, the variable "cesarean section was performed before the start of labor" had a mean rate considered poor, while occupation was classified as good (above 6%), neighborhood as excellent (between 0.8 and 4.5%), and induction also as excellent (0.7 to 2.9%). Inaccuracies were greater in the ethnicity (up to 0.7%) and neighborhood (up to 1.3%) variables, both considered excellent. In the comparison between sections, the pregnancy and childbirth section was the most incomplete.

Data completeness in Certificates of Live Birth was considered excellent for most variables, and the classification of inaccuracies was excellent for all variables, evidencing the quality of the information found in these certificates.