The coverage of the Live Births Information System and potential sources of information in small-scale municipalities in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais

Abstract

Objectives: to estimate the coverage of the Live Births Information System (SINASC) and the contribution of potential sources of information in a sample of municipalities in the mesoregion of Jequitinhonha, Minas Gerais, in 2008. Methods: the list of live births (LBs) reported to the SINASC was complemented by LBs located by an active search of registry offices, health units, social services departments, key informants in the communities, traditional midwives, churches, pharmacies and the records of municipal health departments. Coverage was calculated by comparing the number of LBs reported to the SINASC with the total after the active search. Results: the results indicate poor coverage by the SINASC of less than 60% in three of the five municipalities studied. No Live Birth Declaration (LBD) was issued in the case of almost a quarter of the underreported LBs. The main sources of information were registry offices, hospital and Basic Health Units (BHUs), representing a total of 60% of the LBs located by the active search. Conclusions: the active search for LBs identified problems regarding the quality of birth registry information in small-scale municipalities, related primarily to problems with collecting and distributing SINASC information in these areas.