[Definition and classification of perinatal mortality].

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Medical Statistics

Background:

• Accurate classification of perinatal mortality is essential for public health surveillance and clinical quality improvement.
• Existing hospital registries may not consistently adhere to standardized definitions, potentially leading to underreporting or misclassification.
• Variations in definitions can obscure true trends and hinder effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of different definitions on perinatal mortality statistics.
• To evaluate the completeness and accuracy of perinatal mortality reporting in hospital records.
• To recommend standardized approaches for perinatal mortality classification.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records from nine maternity hospitals in South-Hainaut.
• Inclusion of 135 cases of fetal and early neonatal deaths.
• Compilation of perinatal mortality statistics using five distinct definitions.

Main Results:

• Perinatal mortality rates ranged from 10.2% to 15.1% depending on the definition employed.
• Hospital reporting of perinatal mortality, as per legal requirements, was found to be incomplete.
• Significant discrepancies in classification were observed across different definitions.

Conclusions:

• Standardized data collection for all pregnancy outcomes is necessary.
• Adoption of clearly defined, internationally accepted definitions is recommended.
• The 1975 World Health Organization recommendations (ICD-9) should be utilized for consistent perinatal mortality classification.