Reducing Perinatal Mortality in Victoria, Australia: Early Insights From the Safer Baby Bundle Implementation

Area of Science:

• Perinatal health
• Public health interventions
• Maternal-fetal medicine

Background:

• The Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) was implemented in Victoria, Australia, to decrease stillbirth and perinatal mortality.
• Evaluating the SBB's effectiveness is crucial for its potential national expansion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the initial impact of the Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) on stillbirth and perinatal mortality rates.
• To analyze changes in iatrogenic birth trends following SBB implementation.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective population-based cohort study analyzed singleton births (≥28 weeks gestation) before (Jan 2014-Jun 2019) and after (Jul 2019-Dec 2020) SBB introduction.
• Interrupted time series analyses and relative risk calculations compared outcomes between SBB and non-SBB sites, excluding congenital anomalies and terminations.

Main Results:

• In SBB sites, a trend towards reduced stillbirth (2.08 to 1.64/1000) and a significant decrease in perinatal mortality (2.52 to 2.02/1000) were observed.
• Non-SBB sites showed no significant changes in stillbirth or perinatal mortality rates.
• Early term iatrogenic births, which increased pre-SBB, showed reduced monthly trends post-implementation in SBB sites, with no significant changes in other adverse outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) implementation correlated with decreased perinatal mortality.
• The SBB intervention did not lead to increased iatrogenic births or neonatal harm.
• Findings support the national adoption of the SBB to enhance perinatal health outcomes across Australia.