Perinatal mortality refers to the death of a fetus or infant less than seven days old. It is caused by preterm birth and fetal birth defects. The perinatal period is defined differently by health care organizations, and the perinatal mortality rate is used to compare healthcare systems worldwide. Most neonatal deaths occur in developing countries, and improving maternal and child healthcare is crucial in reducing perinatal mortality.
Perinatal mortality is a medical term used to describe the death of a late fetus or infant less than seven days old. It is used in statistics to calculate the stillbirth rate of different countries around the world. Perinatal death has numerous causes, including preterm birth and fetal birth defects.
There are discrepancies among health care organizations about when a stillbirth or newborn death is considered perinatal death. The World Health Organization suggests death after 20 weeks of gestation up to the first seven days of life as perinatal mortality, but some organizations count nothing before 27 weeks of gestation. There can also be distinctions as to whether death occurs during the labor or birth process. Once birth has occurred, any death within the first 28 days is considered a neonatal death. Early neonatal death occurs within the first seven days of life, while late neonatal death can occur after day 7 to day 28.
The most common cause of perinatal death is early or preterm labor. This occurs when the fetus is born before the full 37-40 weeks gestational period. There are numerous reasons this can occur, including infections, maternal disease, high blood pressure, and reduced oxygen supply to the fetus. Another common cause of perinatal mortality is birth defects. Many defects are not compatible with life, and others cause significant complications that may not be medically resolved, particularly if the fetus arrives early.
When comparing mortality rates between countries, the perinatal mortality rate (PNMR) is used. This is the amount of deaths that occur per 1,000 births within the parameters of the perinatal period. This statistic is used to analyze the effectiveness of healthcare systems around the world and to assess the likelihood of a fetus surviving beyond the first week of life in a given area. Accurate data is difficult to obtain in many places, especially in developing countries.
The vast majority of neonatal deaths occur in developing countries. Indeed, in 2000 the World Health Organization estimated that 98% of such deaths occurred in countries outside the developed nations. While many perinatal deaths are unavoidable, a significant amount could be prevented with quality medical care both during pregnancy, during labor, and immediately after delivery. One of the main reasons for collecting data on PNMR is to try to improve maternal and child health care throughout the developing world.
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