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Original article
Rates of very preterm birth in Europe and neonatal mortality rates
  1. D Field1,
  2. E S Draper1,
  3. A Fenton2,
  4. E Papiernik3,
  5. J Zeitlin4,
  6. B Blondel4,
  7. M Cuttini5,
  8. R F Maier6,
  9. T Weber7,
  10. M Carrapato8,
  11. L Kollée9,
  12. J Gadzin10,
  13. P Van Reempts11
  1. 1
    Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
  2. 2
    Department of Neonatology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, UK
  3. 3
    Université Paris V Réné Descartes et Maternité de Port-Royal, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
  4. 4
    INSERM, UMR S149, Epidemiological Research Unit on Perinatal and Women’s Health, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Paris, France
  5. 5
    Unit of Epidemiology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
  6. 6
    Department of Neonatology, University Hospital, Marburg, Germany
  7. 7
    Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics, Hvidovre University Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hvidovre, Denmark
  8. 8
    Department of Paediatrics, Hospital de Sao Sebastiao de Santa Maria da Feira, Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal
  9. 9
    Department of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Children’s Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  10. 10
    Department of Neonatology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
  11. 11
    Department of Neonatology, University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium and Study Centre for Perinatal Epidemiology, Brussels, Belgium
  1. Professor D Field, Neonatal Unit, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Infirmary Square, Leicester LE1 5WW, UK; david.field{at}uhl-tr.nhs.uk

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the influence of variation in the rate of very preterm delivery on the reported rate of neonatal death in 10 European regions.

Design: Comparison of 10 separate geographically defined European populations, from nine European countries, over a 1-year period (7 months in one region).

Participants: All births that occurred between 22+0 and 31+6 weeks of gestation in 2003.

Main outcome measure: Neonatal death rate adjusted for rate of delivery at this gestation.

Results: Rate of delivery of all births at 22+0–31+6 weeks of gestation and live births only were calculated for each region. Two regions had significantly higher rates of very preterm delivery per 1000 births: Trent UK (16.8, 95% CI 15.7 to 17.9) and Northern UK (17.1, 95% CI 15.6 to 18.6); group mean 13.2 (95% CI 12.9 to 13.5). Four regions had rates significantly below the group average: Portugal North (10.7, 95% CI 9.6 to 11.8), Eastern and Central Netherlands (10.6, 95% CI 9.7 to 11.6), Eastern Denmark (11.2, 95% CI 10.1 to 12.4) and Lazio in Italy (11.0, 95% CI 10.1 to 11.9). Similar trends were seen in live birth data. Published rates of neonatal death for each region were then adjusted by applying (a) a standardised rate of very preterm delivery and (b) the existing death rate for babies born at this gestation in the individual region. This produced much greater homogeneity in terms of neonatal mortality.

Conclusions: Variation in the rate of very preterm delivery has a major influence on reported neonatal death rates.

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2008.150433

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests: None.

    • Funding: This project was partially funded by a grant from the European Commission Research Directorate (QLG4-CT-2001-01907) and coordinated by Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris. The MOSAIC research group maintained complete independence from the funding body in relation to the research process and reporting of results.

    • Contributions: All authors were involved in the execution of the study and preparation of the manuscript.