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NEW ABS PERINATAL DEATH SCOPE RULES

Under the new scope rules, fetal deaths are now identified as 'of 20 or more completed weeks gestation or of 400 grams or more birth weight'. Previously, fetal death counts had been determined by identifying deaths of 20 or more completed weeks of gestation and of 400 grams or more birth weight’. Adopting this practice had restricted the identification of some fetal deaths. In addition, the gestation/birth weight criteria previously applied to a live birth and neonatal death have been removed, resulting in any live birth regardless of gestation and birth weight being in scope of the collection. See Explanatory Notes 18-20 for further information.

Table 1.1. Comparison , New ABS Scope Perinatals and Old ABS Scope Perinatals (published) - Australia - 1999-2007(a)
	New Scope(b)		Old Scope(c)		Difference
	Fetal death	Neonatal death	Fetal death	Neonatal death	Fetal death	Neonatal death
1999	1 647	953	1 284	849	363	104
2000	1 668	866	1 303	773	365	93
2001	1 655	916	1 290	802	365	114
2002	1 618	857	1 240	779	378	78
2003	1 638	842	1 288	732	350	110
2004	1 725	816	1 347	701	378	115
2005	1 837	932	1 411	802	426	130
2006	1 595	864	1 394	864	201	-
2007	1 676	856	. .	. .	. .	. .
. . not applicable
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) 2007 data is preliminary and will be subject to a revision process. See Explanatory Notes 4-5 for further information.
(b) New scope includes all perinatal deaths where gestation is at least 20 weeks or birth weight is at least 400g . See Glossary for further information.
(c) Old scope includes all perinatal deaths where birth weight is at least 400g and gestation is at least 20 weeks.
Note: 'not stated' , 'not applicable' or 'unknown' are included in scope.