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Perinatal database in Germany

P G Brockerhoff1, P G Knapstein

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Medical School, Germany.

Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Tokyo, Japan)
|April 1, 1995
PubMed

Insights

A nationwide German database of over 600,000 annual deliveries improved understanding of perinatal risk factors. This led to a significant decline in perinatal mortality rates over a 10-year period.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal medicine
  • Public health surveillance
  • Reproductive epidemiology

Background:

  • Established a nationwide database in Germany collecting standardized data from up to 600,000 deliveries annually.
  • Enabled regional and overregional quality control for obstetric care.
  • Facilitated scientific analysis of rare maternal and fetal complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze perinatal risk factors using a large-scale, standardized dataset.
  • To monitor and improve the quality of obstetric care nationwide.
  • To investigate trends in maternal and fetal complications.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of standardized data from approximately 600,000 deliveries per year.
  • Longitudinal observation period of 10 years.
  • Statistical analysis of collected data to identify risk factors and outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Considerable improvement in the understanding of perinatal risk factors over the 10-year observation period.
  • Significant decline in perinatal mortality from 9.4 to 6.4 per 1,000 deliveries.
  • Presentation of typical results derived from extensive data analysis.

Conclusions:

  • Nationwide data collection is effective for quality control and scientific research in obstetrics.
  • Improved understanding of risk factors has contributed to reduced perinatal mortality.
  • The established database serves as a valuable resource for ongoing perinatal health research.

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