Completeness of infant death registration for very low birthweight infants: Washington State 1978-79

Washington State hospitals were queried about the fate of 507 infants born in 1978-79 for whom no linked death certificate existed. Only ten previously unregistered deaths were discovered, raising mortality for this group by 2.5 per cent. In addition, 13 previously unmatched death records were linked to birth records, providing more accurate calculation of birthweight-specific mortality rates. Washington State infant death registration is more complete that that found in either Georgia or North Carolina.