Euro-Peristat
Better Statistics for Better Health
for pregnant women and their babies
Download a copy of the most comprehensive report on perinatal health to date.
EURO-PERISTAT NEWS
New articles published!
Irgens LM, Bolumar F, Nijhuis JG, Zeitlin J, the Euro-Peristat Scientific Committee. Gestational Age Patterns of Fetal and Neonatal Mortality in Europe: Results from the Euro-Peristat Project. 2011. PLoS ONE 6(11): e24727
The first European Perinatal Health Report showed wide variations in fetal and neonatal mortality rates among European countries in 2004. Based on data provided by 29 participating countries/regions, the Euro-Peristat Scientific Committee has published an article analyzing the gestational age patterns of fetal and neonatal mortality in Europe. Mortality rates collected by Euro-Peristat do not use a birth weight limit and are cut-off at 22 weeks of completed gestation (Euro-Peristat indicator definitions can be found here). Results from this study show that most countries do not have limits for registration of live births, but that there are important inter-country differences in the registration of stillbirths including TOP. Early preterm deaths are most affected by these registration differences and account for a substantial part of the variation in fetal and neonatal mortality rates. However, after excluding early preterm deaths, wide variations can still be observed in all gestational age subgroups. Some countries had high mortality in the very preterm period while others had higher mortality at term. Gestational-age specific mortality rates provide countries with information which is useful for identifying subgroups at risk, monitoring trends over time and developing prevention strategies. No other study has published on gestational age-specific mortality in Europe and such data is not routinely collected by international agencies such as WHO, EuroStat or OECD.
Also, please see our recently published article on perinatal health monitoring systems in Europe:
Gissler M, Mohangoo AD, Blondel B, Chalmers J, Macfarlane A, Gaizauskiene A, Gatt M, Lack N, Sakkeus L, Zeitlin J for The Euro-Peristat Group. Perinatal health monitoring in Europe: results from the EURO-PERISTAT project. Informatics for Health and Social Care. 2010. 35 (2): 64-79
About EURO-PERISTAT
The EURO-PERISTAT project’s goal is to monitor and evaluate maternal and child health in the perinatal period - pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum - in Europe using valid and reliable indicators. The project began in 1999 as part of the EU's Health Monitoring Programme and has continued into a fourth phase with the ultimate aim of routinely producing data on perinatal health in Europe. We developed a list of recommended indicators for perinatal health surveillance and published the first European Perinatal Health Report in 2008. The next report is planned for the end of 2012.
The project is coordinated in Paris but has official representation from 27 countries across Europe and a large network of contributing experts. We receive funding from the European Commission Directorate for Health & Consumers and the Executive Agency for Health and Consumers.
