Table 1

Cause of death classification⁷

Cause category	Definition
Congenital anomalies	Any genetic or structural defect arising at conception or during embryogenesis incompatible with life or causing death.
Antepartum hypoxia	Death due to hypoxia/anoxia occurring before the onset of labour. All stillborn babies are arbitrarily classified as dying of hypoxia unless death is due to a specific fetal condition or a malformation. This category therefore includes antepartum stillbirths associated with obstetric complications such as antepartum haemorrhage, as well as unexplained antepartum deaths.
Intrapartum hypoxia and trauma	Includes deaths due to birth trauma occurring during labour or after birth, and unexplained intrapartum stillbirths (not caused by specific fetal conditions or malformation).
Prematurity	Death due to conditions associated with prematurity: severe pulmonary immaturity, hyaline membrane disease and intraventricular haemorrhage.
Infection	Death due to infection before, during or after delivery.
Miscellaneous causes	Death due to other specific conditions in the fetus: includes isoimmunisation; twin-twin transfusion syndrome; idiopathic hydrops fetalis; fetal blood loss, e.g. vasa praevia.
Other causes	Includes non-intrapartum trauma, unexplained and unexpected neonatal deaths, and unclassifiable deaths.