TRENDS IN REGISTERED PERINATAL DEATHS
In 2008, there were 2,501 perinatal deaths registered in Australia, compared with 2,532 registered in 2007, a decrease of 1.2%. This was 3.8% lower than the number registered in 1999 (2,600). The number of fetal deaths in 2008 was 1,648, a decrease of 1.7% compared to 2007, and similar to the number registered in 1999 (1,647). 853 neonatal deaths were registered in 2008, similar to the number registered in 2007 (856), but 10% lower than the number registered in 1999 (953).
In 2008, there were 1,364 male perinatal deaths and 1,137 female perinatal deaths. The sex ratio was 120.0 male perinatal deaths for every 100 female perinatal deaths, compared with 111.5 males per 100 females in 2007.
In the 10 year period from 1999 to 2008, the lowest perinatal death rate was recorded in 2008 (8.4 deaths per 1,000 total births), while the highest perinatal death rate was recorded in 2005 (10.6 deaths per 1,000 total births) (see Glossary and Appendix 1: Data used in calculating death rates). The same trend was seen for fetal deaths, with 5.5 deaths per 1,000 total births in 2008 compared to 7.0 deaths per 1,000 total births in 2005. Similarly, during the same 10 year period the lowest neonatal death rate was recorded in 2008 (2.9 deaths per 1,000 live births), however the highest rate during the period was recorded in 1999 (3.8 deaths per 1,000 live births).
TRENDS IN PERINATAL DEATHS (a)
Fetal, Neonatal and Perinatal Deaths(a)(b)(c), by sex(d) - Number and death rates(e) - Selected years(f)(g)(h) |
|
 | | 1999 | | 2007 | | 2008 | |
| | No. | Rate(e) | No. | Rate(e) | No. | Rate(e) |
|
| Fetal | | | | | | |
| Males(d) | 893 | 7.0 | 874 | 5.9 | 877 | 5.7 |
| Females | 754 | 6.2 | 802 | 5.7 | 771 | 5.3 |
| Persons | 1 647 | 6.6 | 1 676 | 5.8 | 1 648 | 5.5 |
| Neonatal | | | | | | |
| Males(d) | 553 | 4.3 | 461 | 3.1 | 487 | 3.2 |
| Females | 400 | 3.3 | 395 | 2.8 | 366 | 2.5 |
| Persons | 953 | 3.8 | 856 | 3.0 | 853 | 2.9 |
| Perinatal | | | | | | |
| Males(d) | 1 446 | 11.3 | 1 335 | 9.1 | 1 364 | 8.9 |
| Females | 1 154 | 9.4 | 1 197 | 8.6 | 1 137 | 7.8 |
| Persons | 2 600 | 10.4 | 2 532 | 8.8 | 2 501 | 8.4 |
|
| (a) Fetal deaths of at least 20 weeks gestation or with a birth weight of at least 400 grams. See Glossary for more information. |
| (b) Neonatal death is death of a live born baby within 28 days of birth. See Glossary for more information. |
| (c) Perinatal deaths are all fetal deaths (at least 20 weeks gestation or at least 400 grams birth weight) plus all neonatal deaths. See Glossary for further information. |
| (d) Male deaths include those perinatal deaths of sex indeterminate. |
| (e) Fetal death rates and perinatal death rates are calculated per 1,000 all births for the calendar year. Neonatal death rates are calculated per 1,000 live births for the calendar year. See Glossary for further information. |
| (f) Causes of death data for 2007 have been revised and are subject to further revisions. See Technical Note 2: Revisions Process for further information. |
| (g) 2008 data have been subject to a process improvement which has increased the quality of these data. See Technical Note 1: Perinatal Deaths Process Improvement for further information. |
| (h) Causes of death data for 2008 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Technical Note 2: Revisions Process for further information. |
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