Infant and perinatal mortality 2005, 2006 and 2007 (provisional)
Definitions
Fetal deaths are defined as stillbirths of 20 weeks or more gestation, or 400 grams or more birth
weight.
Perinatal deaths consist of fetal deaths and deaths in the first week of life (early neonates).
A neonatal death is defined as the death of a liveborn infant before the 28th day of life, and a postneonatal death as the death of a liveborn infant between the 28th day and the first year of life.
An infant death is defined as a liveborn infant dying before the first year of life is completed.
The Ministry of Health applies these definitions and assigns the underlying cause of death in
accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO).
These fetal and infant death classifications are illustrated in the following diagram:
Note regarding 1998 rates
Due to issues relating to birth registrations, 1998 rates are calculated using 1997 livebirth statistics.
Note regarding low numbers
The numbers of fetal and infant deaths within the Pacific population are relatively small and
therefore more likely to be influenced by random variation. Any conclusions drawn from this data
should be treated with caution.
Fetal and infant death numbers can also be low when broken down into categories, such as causes
of death. In these situations, rates of death have not been calculated as the raw number is too low
to produce a meaningful rate.
Infant and perinatal mortality rates
Figure 1: Fetal and Infant death rates, total population, 1942 to 2007*
45.0
Infant death rate†
Rate
Fetal death rate§ (1995 Registration Act)
Late fetal death rate§ (pre 1995 Act)
40.0
35.0
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006*
2007*
0.0
Registration Year
*
Data for 2006 and 2007 is provisional.
Rate per 1000 total births.
† Rate per 1000 live births.
Source: Ministry of Health
§
Note regarding pre-1995/post-1995 fetal death trend:
The Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Act 1995 requires a Medical Certificate of Causes
of Death and a birth registration form to be completed for all fetal deaths. Before 1 September 1995,
the legislation required that any fetal death of 20 weeks or greater period of gestation be issued a
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and birth registration was required only for fetuses of 28 or
more weeks gestation (termed late fetal deaths or stillbirths), while registration of fetal deaths of 20
to 27 weeks gestation (intermediate fetal deaths) was not required.
Fetal and infant births and mortality for the years 2005, 2006* and 2007*
The following tables present the numbers and rates of fetal and infant births and deaths by ethnicity
of babies, 2005 to 2007*.
Total population
Live births
Total births
Fetal deaths§
Early neonatal
deaths†
Late neonatal
deaths†
Post neonatal†
Māori population
Live births
Total births
Fetal deaths§
Early neonatal
deaths†
Late neonatal
deaths†
Post neonatal†
Pacific population
Live births
Total births
Fetal deaths§
Early neonatal
deaths†
Late neonatal
deaths†
Post neonatal†
Other population
2005
Number
Rate
58727
…
59130
…
403
6.8
2006*
Number
Rate
60274
…
60683
…
409
6.7
2007*
Number
Rate
65121
…
65593
…
472
7.2
148
2.5
137
2.3
133
2.0
35
111
0.6
1.9
28
143
0.5
2.4
32
146
0.5
2.2
2005
Number
Rate
17004
…
17117
…
113
6.6
2006*
Number
Rate
17935
…
18034
…
99
5.5
2007*
Number
Rate
19338
…
19464
…
126
6.5
47
2.8
52
2.9
41
2.1
10
57
0.6
3.4
10
68
0.6
3.8
12
73
0.6
3.8
2005
Number
Rate
6238
…
6278
…
40
6.4
2006*
Number
Rate
6408
…
6464
…
56
8.7
2007*
Number
Rate
7005
…
7063
…
58
8.2
24
3.8
16
2.5
16
2.3
5
14
0.8
2.2
2
23
0.3
3.6
6
23
0.9
3.3
2005
Number
Rate
35485
…
35735
…
250
7.0
2006*
Number
Rate
35931
…
36185
…
254
7.0
Live births
Total births
Fetal deaths§
Early neonatal
deaths†
77
2.2
69
1.9
Late neonatal
deaths†
20
0.6
16
0.4
Post neonatal†
40
1.1
52
1.4
§ Rate per 1000 total births.
† Rate per 1000 live births.
… Not applicable
* Data for 2006 and 2007 is provisional and subject to change
Source: Ministry of Health.
2007*
Number
Rate
38778
…
39066
…
288
7.4
76
2.0
14
50
0.4
1.3
Fetal death rates per 1000 total births by ethnicity, 1996 to 2007*
Rate per 1000 total
births
14.0
Maori
Pacific peoples
12.0
Other
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006*
2007*
Year
* Data for 2006 and 2007 is provisional and subject to change
Source: Ministry of Health.
Infant death rates per 1000 live births by ethnicity, 1996 to 2007*
Rate per 1000 live births
14.0
12.0
Maori
Pacific peoples
10.0
Other
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Year
* Data for 2006 and 2007 is provisional and subject to change
Source: Ministry of Health
2003
2004
2005
2006*
2007*
Infant deaths, rate per 1000 live births, by ethnicity and subclassification, 2007*
Rate per 1000 live births
7.0
Post-neonatal deaths
6.0
Late neonatal deaths
Early neonatal deaths
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
Maori
Pacific
Ethnicity
* Data for 2006 and 2007 is provisional and subject to change
Source: Ministry of Health
Other
Selected causes of infant mortality, 2005 to 2007*
Cause of death
Conditions originating in the perinatal period
Disorders related to length of gestation and fetal growth
Birth trauma
Respiratory and cardiovascular disorders specific to the
perinatal period
Infections specific to the perinatal period
Haemorrhagic and haematological disorders of fetus and
newborn
Transitory endocrine and metabolic disorders specific to
fetus and newborn
Digestive system disorders of fetus and newborn
Conditions involving the integument and temperature
regulation of fetus and newborn
Other disorders originating in the perinatal period
Congenital anomalities
Other external causes of accidental injury
Diseases of the nervous system
Other bacterial diseases
Respiratory diseases (excluding Influenza and pneumonia)
Influenza and pneumonia
Malignant neoplasm
Other forms of heart diseases
Intestinal infectious diseases
Metabolic disorders
Transport accidents
Disorders involving the immune mechanisms
Systemic connective tissue disorders
Viral infections / diseases
Assault
Diseases of the digestive system
Haemolytic anaemias
Renal diseases
Neoplasms, benign or of uncertain/unknown behaviour
Other diseases of blood and blood-forming organs
Cerebrovascular diseases
Other and unknown
Total infant deaths
†
2005
2006*
2007*
No. Rate† No. Rate† No. Rate†
134 2.3 122 2.0 123 1.9
38
0.6
43
0.7
48
0.7
…
…
2
--
1
--
45
0.8
34
0.6
34
0.5
9
0.2
10
0.2
5
--
17
0.3
8
--
13
0.2
…
…
…
…
1
--
5
--
8
--
2
--
4
--
1
--
3
--
16
66
16
5
3
5
9
6
2
1
1
0.3
1.1
0.3
16
73
21
10
2
7
8
0.3
1.2
0.3
0.2
16
70
29
6
5
8
8
4
2
1
4
3
…
…
…
…
3
…
…
…
1
1
1
40
294
Rate per 1000 live births.
… Zero or nil
-- Rate too small to be expressed
* Note: Data for 2006 and 2007 is provisional and subject to change
Source: Ministry of Health
--------…
…
…
…
-…
…
…
---0.7
5.0
…
…
---…
---…
…
…
---…
--…
…
45
308
0.7
5.1
…
4
1
3
…
…
…
3
5
1
…
1
1
-1.1
0.4
…
---------…
---…
…
…
--…
41
311
0.6
4.8
…
1
2
2
…
…
…
1
1
Further information
For mortality related information, please refer to: http://www.moh.govt.nz/dataandstatistics, contact
Analytical Services: data-enquires@moh.govt.nz
For mortality and health-related publications refer to: http://www.moh.govt.nz/publications/
Source: Ministry of Health Mortality Data (as at: 24/02/10)