Stillbirth and neonatal death rates across time: The influence of pregnancy terminations and birth defects in a Western Australian population-based cohort study

Abstract

Background: The stillbirth rate in most high income countries reduced in the early part of the 20th century but has apparently been static over the past 21/2 decades. However, there has not been any account taken of pregnancy terminations and birth defects on these trends. The current study sought to quantify these relationships using linked Western Australian administrative data for the years 1986-2010. Methods: We analysed a retrospective, population-based cohort of Western Australia births from 1986 to 2010, with de-identified linked data from core population health datasets. Results: The study revealed a significant decrease in the neonatal death rate from 1986 to 2010 (6.1 to 2.1 neonatal deaths per 1000 births; p