Potentially avoidable perinatal deaths in Denmark, Sweden and Lithuania as classified by the Nordic-Baltic classification

Converging or diverging trajectories of mortality under one year of age in the Baltic States: a comparison with the European Union

BACKGROUND

Information about trends in perinatal and child health inequalities is scarce, especially in the Eastern Europe. We analyzed how mortality under 1 year of age has been changing in the Baltic States and the European Union (EU) over 25 years, and what associations occurred between changes in macroeconomic factors and mortality.

METHODS

Data on fetal, neonatal, infant mortality, and macroeconomic factors were extracted from WHO database. Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to analyze time trajectories of mortality over 1990-2014. We also investigated how the changes in health expenditures and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contributed to the changes in mortality.

RESULTS

The reduction of fetal, neonatal and infant mortality in the Baltic countries led to convergence with the EU. In Estonia this process was the fastest, and then the rates tended to diverge. The strongest effect in reduction of neonatal mortality was related to the annual increase in health expenditure and GDP which had occurred in the same year, and a decrease in fetal mortality associated with an increase in health expenditure and GDP in the 4th and 5th year, respectively, following the initial change.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings outlined convergences and divergences in mortality under 1 year of age in the Baltic States compared with the patterns of the EU. Our data highlighted a need to define health policy directions aimed at the implementation of effective intervention modalities addressing reduction of risks in prenatal and early life.

From single-case analysis of neonatal deaths toward a further reduction of the neonatal mortality rate

Background The infant mortality rate (IMR), a key indicator of the quality of a healthcare system, has remained at approximately 3.5‰ for the past 10 years in Germany. Generic quality indicators (QIs), as used in Germany since 2010, greatly help in ensuring such a good value but do not seem to be able to further reduce the IMR. The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) contributes to 65-70% of the IMR. We therefore propose single-case analysis of neonatal deaths as an additional method and show an efficient way to implement this approach. Methods We used the Nordic-Baltic classification (NBC) to detect avoidable neonatal deaths. We applied this classification to a sample of 1968 neonatal death records, which represent over 90% of all neonatal deaths in East Berlin from 1973 to 1989. All cases were analyzed as to their preventability based on the complete perinatal and clinical data by a special commission of different experts. The NBC was automatically applied through natural language processing and an ontology-based terminology server. Results The NBC was used to select the group of cases that had a high potential of avoidance. The selected group represented 6.0% of all cases, and 60.4% of the cases within that group were judged avoidable or conditionally avoidable. The automatic detection of malformations showed an F1 score of 0.94. Conclusion The results show that our method can be applied automatically and is a powerful and highly specific tool for selecting potentially avoidable neonatal deaths and thus for supporting efficient single-case analysis.

The Impact of a Maternal Education Program Through Text Messaging in Rural China: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

In recent years, attempts have been made to use mobile phone text messaging (short message service, SMS) to achieve positive results for a range of health issues. Reports on the impact of maternal education programs based on this widely available, inexpensive, and instant communication tool are sparse.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the impact of a maternal education program through text messaging.

Methods

We conducted a cluster randomized trial in a remote region in the Chinese province of Hunan between October 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012. We used county as the unit of randomization (a total of 10 counties), with half of the counties randomly allocated to the intervention arm (with maternal education material adapted from the World Health Organization being delivered by text messaging to village health workers and pregnant women alike) and the other half to the control arm (normal care without text messaging). Data on maternal and infant health outcomes and health behaviors were collected and compared between the 2 arms, with maternal and perinatal mortality as the primary outcomes.

Results

A total of 13,937 pregnant women completed the follow-up and were included in the final analysis. Among them, 6771 were allocated to the intervention arm and 6966 were allocated to the control arm. At the county level, the mean (SD) of maternal mortality and perinatal mortality rate were 0.0% (0.1) and 1.3% (0.6), respectively, in the intervention arm and 0.1% (0.2) and 1.5% (0.4), respectively, in the control arm. However, these differences were not statistically significant. At the individual level, there were 3 maternal deaths (0.04%) and 84 perinatal deaths (1.24%) in the intervention arm and 6 maternal deaths (0.09%) and 101 perinatal deaths (1.45%) in the control arm. However, the differences were again not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Adequate resources should be secured to launch large-scale cluster randomized trials with smaller cluster units and more intensive implementation to confirm the benefits of the text messaging–based maternal education program suggested by this trial.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01775150; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01775150 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74cHmUexo)

Case review of perinatal deaths at hospitals in Kigali, Rwanda: perinatal audit with application of a three-delays analysis

Background

Perinatal audit and the three-delays model are increasingly being employed to analyse barriers to perinatal health, at both community and facility level. Using these approaches, our aim was to assess factors that could contribute to perinatal mortality and potentially avoidable deaths at Rwandan hospitals.

Methods

Perinatal audits were carried out at two main urban hospitals, one at district level and the other at tertiary level, in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 2012 to May 2013. Stillbirths and early neonatal deaths occurring after 22 completed weeks of gestation or more, or weighing at least 500 g, were included in the study. Factors contributing to mortality and potentially avoidable deaths, considering the local resources and feasibility, were identified using a three-delays model.

Results

Out of 8424 births, there were 269 perinatal deaths (106 macerated stillbirths, 63 fresh stillbirths, 100 early neonatal deaths) corresponding to a stillbirth rate of 20/1000 births and a perinatal mortality rate of 32/1000 births. In total, 250 perinatal deaths were available for audit. Factors contributing to mortality were ascertained for 79% of deaths. Delay in care-seeking was identified in 39% of deaths, delay in arriving at the health facility in 10%, and provision of suboptimal care at the health facility in 37%. Delay in seeking adequate care was commonly characterized by difficulties in recognising or reporting pregnancy-related danger signs. Lack of money was the major cause of delay in reaching a health facility. Delay in referrals, diagnosis and management of emergency obstetric cases were the most prominent contributors affecting the provision of appropriate and timely care by healthcare providers. Half of the perinatal deaths were judged to be potentially avoidable and 70% of these were fresh stillbirths and early neonatal deaths.

Conclusions

Factors contributing to delays underlying perinatal mortality were identified in more than three-quarters of deaths. Half of the perinatal deaths were considered likely to be preventable and mainly related to modifiable maternal inadequate health-seeking behaviours and intrapartum suboptimal care. Strengthening the current roadmap strategy for accelerating the reduction of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality is needed for improved perinatal survival.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12884-017-1269-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Why babies die in unplanned out-of-institution births: an enquiry into perinatal deaths in Norway 1999-2013

Introduction

The aims were to describe causes of death associated with unplanned out‐of‐institution births, and to study whether they could be prevented.

Material and methods

Retrospective population‐based observational study based on data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway and medical records. Between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2013, 69 perinatal deaths among 6027 unplanned out‐of‐institution births, whether unplanned at home, during transportation, or unspecified, were selected for enquiry. Hospital records were investigated and cases classified according to Causes of Death and Associated Conditions.

Results

63 cases were reviewed. There were 25 (40%) antepartum deaths, 10 (16%) intrapartum deaths, and 24 neonatal (38%) deaths. Four cases were in the unknown death category (6%). Both gestational age and birthweight followed a bimodal distribution with modes at 24 and 38 weeks and 750 and 3400 g, respectively. The most common main cause of death was infection (n = 14, 22%), neonatal (n = 14, 22%, nine due to extreme prematurity) and placental (n = 12, 19%, seven placental abruptions). There were 86 associated conditions, most commonly perinatal (n = 32), placental (n = 15) and maternal (n = 14). Further classification revealed that the largest subgroup was associated perinatal conditions/sub‐optimal care, involving 25 cases (40%), most commonly due to sub‐optimal maternal use of available care (n = 14, 22%).

Conclusions

Infections, neonatal, and placental causes accounted for almost two‐thirds of perinatal mortality associated with unplanned out‐of‐institution births in Norway. Sub‐optimal maternal use of available care was found in more than one‐fifth of cases.

Stillbirths and newborn deaths in slum settlements in Mumbai, India: a prospective verbal autopsy study

Background

Three million babies are stillborn each year and 3.6 million die in the first month of life. In India, early neonatal deaths make up four-fifths of neonatal deaths and infant mortality three-quarters of under-five mortality. Information is scarce on cause-specific perinatal and neonatal mortality in urban settings in low-income countries. We conducted verbal autopsies for stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Mumbai slum settlements. Our objectives were to classify deaths according to international cause-specific criteria and to identify major causes of delay in seeking and receiving health care for maternal and newborn health problems.

Methods

Over two years, 2005–2007, births and newborn deaths in 48 slum areas were identified prospectively by local informants. Verbal autopsies were collected by trained field researchers, cause of death was classified by clinicians, and family narratives were analysed to investigate delays on the pathway to mortality.

Results

Of 105 stillbirths, 65 were fresh (62%) and obstetric complications dominated the cause classification. Of 116 neonatal deaths, 87 were early and the major causes were intrapartum-related (28%), prematurity (23%), and severe infection (22%). Bereavement was associated with socioeconomic quintile, previous stillbirth, and number of antenatal care visits. We identified 201 individual delays in 121/187 birth narratives (65%). Overall, delays in receiving care after arrival at a health facility dominated and were mostly the result of referral from one institution to another. Most delays in seeking care were attributed to a failure to recognise symptoms of complications or their severity.

Conclusions

In Mumbai’s slum settlements, early neonatal deaths made up 75% of neonatal deaths and intrapartum-related complications were the greatest cause of mortality. Delays were identified in two-thirds of narratives, were predominantly related to the provision of care, and were often attributable to referrals between health providers. There is a need for clear protocols for care and transfer at each level of the health system, and an emphasis on rapid identification of problems and communication between health facilities.

Trial registration

ISRCTN96256793

An evaluation of classification systems for stillbirth

Background

Audit and classification of stillbirths is an essential part of clinical practice and a crucial step towards stillbirth prevention. Due to the limitations of the ICD system and lack of an international approach to an acceptable solution, numerous disparate classification systems have emerged. We assessed the performance of six contemporary systems to inform the development of an internationally accepted approach.

Methods

We evaluated the following systems: Amended Aberdeen, Extended Wigglesworth; PSANZ-PDC, ReCoDe, Tulip and CODAC. Nine teams from 7 countries applied the classification systems to cohorts of stillbirths from their regions using 857 stillbirth cases. The main outcome measures were: the ability to retain the important information about the death using the InfoKeep rating; the ease of use according to the Ease rating (both measures used a five-point scale with a score <2 considered unsatisfactory); inter-observer agreement and the proportion of unexplained stillbirths. A randomly selected subset of 100 stillbirths was used to assess inter-observer agreement.

Results

InfoKeep scores were significantly different across the classifications (p ≤ 0.01) due to low scores for Wigglesworth and Aberdeen. CODAC received the highest mean (SD) score of 3.40 (0.73) followed by PSANZ-PDC, ReCoDe and Tulip [2.77 (1.00), 2.36 (1.21), 1.92 (1.24) respectively]. Wigglesworth and Aberdeen resulted in a high proportion of unexplained stillbirths and CODAC and Tulip the lowest. While Ease scores were different (p ≤ 0.01), all systems received satisfactory scores; CODAC received the highest score. Aberdeen and Wigglesworth showed poor agreement with kappas of 0.35 and 0.25 respectively. Tulip performed best with a kappa of 0.74. The remainder had good to fair agreement.

Conclusion

The Extended Wigglesworth and Amended Aberdeen systems cannot be recommended for classification of stillbirths. Overall, CODAC performed best with PSANZ-PDC and ReCoDe performing well. Tulip was shown to have the best agreement and a low proportion of unexplained stillbirths. The virtues of these systems need to be considered in the development of an international solution to classification of stillbirths. Further studies are required on the performance of classification systems in the context of developing countries. Suboptimal agreement highlights the importance of instituting measures to ensure consistency for any classification system.

Audit of perinatal deaths in a tertiary level hospital in Latvia (1995-1999) using the Nordic-Baltic perinatal death classification: evidence of suboptimal care

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to explore applicability of the Nordic-Baltic perinatal death (PND) classification in a single hospital via evaluation of changes of the preventability of PND over the time period in a tertiary level perinatal care center in Latvia.

METHOD

All PND cases during the period 1995-1999 at a tertiary referral perinatal care center, the Riga Maternity Hospital (RMH), were analyzed using the common Nordic-Baltic PND classification.

RESULTS

The total perinatal mortality rate (PNMR) did not decline at the RMH over the study period. The rate of antenatal and intrapartum deaths at <28 weeks of gestation increased (p < 0.01). Early neonatal deaths at 28-33 weeks of gestation with a low 5-minute Apgar score became less frequent (p < 0.05). There was a trend towards more cases of probably suboptimal care (p < 0.005) and the proportion of preventable PND cases increased from 14.7% in 1995 to 36.4% in 1999 (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The perinatal audit performed at the RMH using the Nordic-Baltic PND classification disclosed a requirement for further improvement of perinatal care in the hospital. The classification can be used to evaluate the preventability of perinatal death cases in a single hospital, and its application in other hospitals in Latvia could provide information necessary for the improvement of perinatal care in the country.

Classification of perinatal deaths: development of the Australian and New Zealand classifications

Classifications of perinatal deaths have been undertaken for surveillance of causes of death, but also for auditing individual deaths to identify suboptimal care at any level, so that preventive strategies may be implemented. This paper describes the history and development of the paired obstetric and neonatal Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) classifications in the context of other classifications. The PSANZ Perinatal Death Classification is based on obstetric antecedent factors that initiated the sequence of events leading to the death, and was developed largely from the Aberdeen and Whitfield classifications. The PSANZ Neonatal Death Classification is based on fetal and neonatal factors associated with the death. The classifications, accessible on the PSANZ website (http://www.psanz.org), have definitions and guidelines for use, a high level of agreement between classifiers, and are now being used in nearly all Australian states and New Zealand.

Regional quality assessment in perinatal care

Quality assessment is essential in every sector of health care and, in modern regionalized perinatal care, continuous data should be collected at all levels to give a stable basis for this activity. The discussion of definitions and choice of indicators is in itself an activity that will increase awareness of quality. Modern computer facilities will simplify data storage and analysis, but do not change the need to use a limited number of well-validated and appropriate variables.

Determinants of intrapartum fetal death in a remote and indigent population in China

OBJECTIVE

To explore the reasons for the high rate of intrapartum fetal death observed in a remote and indigent population in China.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted an epidemiologic analysis of determinants of intrapartum fetal death in a sample of 20,891 births in 18 hospitals participating in the Qingyuan Perinatal Surveillance System from January 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998. The main determinant examined was cesarean delivery; other determinants included mother's insurance status, residence, maternal age, infant's gender, parity, gestational age, birth weight, and obstetric complications. Rates of intrapartum fetal death within categories of various maternal and infant factors were first calculated and compared; adjusted odds ratios for intrapartum fetal death were then estimated by multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The intrapartum fetal death rate in this population was 5 per 1000 total births, which accounted for about one-third of all fetal deaths. Compared with vaginal delivery, elective cesarean delivery was associated with a 100% (i.e., no intrapartum fetal death among 1572 elective cesarean deliveries) and emergency cesarean delivery with a 88% reduction, in intrapartum fetal death. Other significant determinants were related to access to obstetric care (i.e., insurance status and residence).

CONCLUSION

Lack of access to quality obstetric care is the major determinant of intrapartum fetal death in this population.

Using the Nordic-Baltic perinatal death classification to assess perinatal care in Ukraine

OBJECTIVE

To identify health care issues important to reduce the perinatal mortality rate (PMR) in Ukraine.

STUDY DESIGN

Perinatal deaths in the Donetsk region (Ukraine) in 1997-1998 were compared with those in Denmark in 1996 by using the Nordic-Baltic classification for perinatal deaths. Clinical guidelines, use of technology and rates of interventions in the two regions were described.

RESULTS

A two-fold increase in PMR was found in Ukraine compared to Denmark, mainly explained by higher rates of antenatal deaths of growth restricted fetuses, intrapartum deaths, and neonatal deaths due to asphyxia. Vacuum extraction is rarely used in Ukraine. The clinical guidelines for care differ significantly between the two regions.

CONCLUSION

Appropriate use of technology and implementation of evidence-based guidelines should be a matter of high priority in the Donetsk region, Ukraine.