The postponement of neonatal deaths into the postneonatal period: evidence from Massachusetts

Part of the slow decline in the postneonatal mortality rate and the rapid decline in the neonatal mortality rate during the 1970s may have been due to a postponement of some neonatal deaths into the postneonatal period. The authors hypothesized that any such postponement should be accompanied by a lack of decline, or even an increase, in late neonatal and postneonatal mortality rates among low birth weight babies and babies dying of conditions originating in the perinatal period. To examine this theory, the authors used vital records data to compare infant mortality rates in Massachusetts during 1970-1972 with rates during 1978-1980. Log-linear hazard models were used to calculate death rates, while controlling for changes in maternal age, race, education, and prior reproductive history. The authors found that babies of birth weight under 1,500 g had no decline in late neonatal mortality rates and babies of birth weight under 2,500 g had no decline in postneonatal mortality rates. Babies of birth weight 500-999 g had an increased postneonatal mortality rate (rate ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence limits = 1.0-5.4). These unimproved or increased death rates were due in part to conditions originating in the perinatal period. The authors conclude that, although infant mortality rates have declined, this postponement was real, and that efforts to monitor infant mortality will benefit from its routine quantification.     

Trends in infant mortality in Barcelona [Spain], 1983-1998

OBJECTIVE: To analyze trends in infant mortality, taking into account its main components and the principal causes of death between 1983 and 1998 in the city of Barcelona (Spain). METHODS: We calculated overall mortality rates and mortality rates by sex for infant, postneonatal, neonatal, early neonatal, and late neonatal mortality in residents of the city of Barcelona from 1983 to 1998. Data were obtained from the births and deaths register. Data were grouped in 4-year periods. Poisson regression models were adjusted to obtain relative risks of mortality for comparison among the 4-year periods. The percentage of variation between rates in the different periods was also calculated. RESULTS: There were 1.564 deaths in the 16 years. 896 (57.3%) were males and 668 (42.7%) were females. Infant mortality rates varied from 10.5 per 1,000 live births in 1986 to 3.4 ten years later (1996). Between 1983 and 1988 mortality rates remained stable, decreasing after 1989. The neonatal mortality rate, and especially the early neonatal mortality rate, showed a greater decrease than the postneonatal mortality rate. The main causes of death were congenital defects (47.4%) and perinatal causes (32.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates decreased over the study period but not with the same intensity as in previous deca des.     

2014 - 2018年大连市5岁以下儿童死亡情况分析及预测

目的 分析2014 - 2018年大连市5岁以下儿童死亡情况,并对2019 - 2022年儿童死亡率进行预测。方法 对大连市2014 - 2018年5岁以下儿童死亡监测数据进行分析;分死因评估失能调整生命年(DALY)损失;使用灰色模型[GM(1.1)]进行死亡率拟合,预测2019 - 2022年儿童死亡率。结果 大连市2014 - 2018年新生儿死亡率（2.2‰,1.98‰,2.03‰,1.57‰,1.79‰）、婴儿死亡率（3.21‰,3.1‰,2.9‰,2.49‰,2.63‰）和5岁以下儿童死亡率（4‰,3.97‰,3.65‰,3.23‰,3.4‰）总体呈现下降趋势,1～4岁儿童死亡率（0.79‰,0.86‰,0.7‰,0.74‰,0.77‰）变化不明显;5岁以下儿童死因前5位分别是早产/低出生体重（12.92%）、其它先天异常（11.38%）、先天性心脏病（10.12%）、其他新生儿病（9.67%）及出生窒息（8.4%）;5年间前5位死因的死亡损失共计20571.37个DALY;预测大连市2019 - 2022年新生儿的死亡率分别为1.59‰、1.51‰、1.42‰、1.34‰,婴儿的死亡率分别为2.34‰、2.19‰、2.05‰、1.92‰,5岁以下儿童死亡率结果分别为3.05‰、2.87‰、2.70‰、2.53‰。结论 虽然大连市 2014 - 2018年5岁以下儿童死亡率呈现下降趋势,并且通过灰色模型预测的2019 - 2022年5岁以下儿童死亡率也呈现下降趋势,但5岁以下儿童死亡损失仍较大,应继续控制并降低5岁以下儿童死亡率,通过多部门共同协作,加大对早产/低出生体重、其他先天异常、出生窒息等主要死因预防与治疗的工作力度,以有效降低5岁以下儿童死亡率。     

Five-decade international trends in the relation of perinatal mortality and congenital malformations: stillbirth and neonatal death compared.

The relation between long-term temporal trends in stillbirth and neonatal death rates and the congenital malformation frequencies in such deaths were analysed, using data from hospital-based European, USA, and Canadian reports published from 1950. In the last 50 years the overall perinatal mortality rate has fairly steadily improved, decreasing by 65-80%. This was accomplished by the control of some serious problems of early life. However, lingering disorders form an ever larger proportion of the causes of perinatal mortality. Among the prominent of these are congenital malformations, accounting for nearly 30% of perinatal deaths at present. However, this figure conceals important differences between stillbirths and early neonatal deaths. For example, although stillbirth and early neonatal mortality rates have decreased to similar extents during these years, congenital malformations, which were almost equally frequent causes of death in both of them at the beginning of this period, are now about twice as common in early neonatal (one week) deaths as in stillbirths. Other differences between them are in birthweight-related malformation frequencies and in characteristic arrays of malformations. The significance of these patterns and of some geographical variations, and the likelihood of continuing improvement in the stillbirth and early neonatal mortality rates are discussed.     

Birth weight-specific causes of infant mortality, United States, 1980

To describe underlying causes of infant death by birth weight, we used data from the 1980 National Infant Mortality Surveillance project and aggregated International Classification of Diseases codes into seven categories: perinatal conditions, infections, congenital anomalies, injuries, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), other known causes, and nonspecific or unknown causes. Compared with heavier infants, infants with birth weights of 500-2,499 grams (g) are at increased risk of both neonatal and postneonatal death for virtually all causes. Sixty-two percent of neonatal deaths (under 28 days of life) were attributed to "conditions arising in the perinatal period," as defined using codes from the International Classification of Diseases. Prematurity-low birth weight and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) were the leading causes of such deaths among infants with birth weights of 500-2,499 g, while birth trauma-hypoxia-asphyxia and other perinatal respiratory conditions were the leading causes among heavier infants. For all birth weight groups, congenital anomalies were the second leading cause, representing 27 percent of neonatal deaths. Although perinatal conditions caused nearly one-third of postneonatal deaths (28 days to under 1 year of life) among infants with birth weights of 500-1,499 g, for the other birth weight groups these conditions were much less important; predominant causes of postneonatal death were sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), congenital anomalies, infections, and injuries. Black infants had a roughly twofold higher risk of neonatal and postneonatal death than did white infants for all causes except congenital anomalies, which occurred with almost equal frequency in blacks and whites. However, for infants with birth weights of 500-2,499 g, blacks had lower risks of neonatal death from RDS and congenital anomalies. Between 1960 (the latest year for which national birth weight-specific mortality statistics had been available) and 1980, SIDS emerged as a major diagnostic rubric. Otherwise, except for infections and congenital anomalies among infants with birth weights of 500-1,499 g, all causes of death declined in frequency among all birth weight groups.     

Investigating variations in infant mortality in England and Wales by mother's country of birth, 1983-2001

The aim of this study was to investigate variations in infant mortality from 1983 to 2001 by birthweight, registration status, father's social class, age of mother at birth and cause of death, among babies of mothers born in countries that represent the largest ethnic minority groups in England and Wales. A total of 70,208 infant death registration records linked to their corresponding birth registration records were used. The study focused on infant deaths of babies of mothers born in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Caribbean, West Africa, East Africa, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. From 1983 to 2001 infant mortality rates decreased overall, and this was also apparent in the rates by mother's country of birth. Overall, babies of mothers born in Pakistan consistently had the highest infant mortality rates. Low-birthweight babies of mothers born in West Africa had the highest infant, neonatal and postneonatal death rates. Differences were also seen by registration status, mother's age and between manual and non-manual occupations for all countries from 1983 to 2001. For babies of mothers born in the UK, Caribbean and West Africa, immaturity-related conditions were the most common cause of infant deaths. The leading cause of infant death among babies of mothers born in Pakistan and Bangladesh was congenital anomalies.     

新生儿死亡死因调查

目的了解本院新生儿死亡率及死亡原因,加强防治对策。方法对１９８６～１９９５年在我院出生的新生儿死亡情况进行回顾性调查,对死因分前五年和后五年两期进行对比分析。结果１０年间新生儿死亡率为５．６‰,早产儿、低出生体重儿分别占总死亡数的５５．１％及５６．３％。前期死因依次为新生儿窒息、早产、呼吸道疾患、先天畸形和败血症。后期则为呼吸道疾患、先天畸形、早产和新生儿窒息。１周内死亡占总死亡数的８５．６％。结论要降低新生儿死亡率必须继续建立健全围产保健制度,减少畸形儿出生,防止早产,预防新生儿窒息,普及新法复苏,并要加强呼吸管理及治疗。     

Infant,neonatal and postneonatal mortality trends in Andalucía,Spain, 1975-1989

BACKGROUND: Infant mortality and its neonatal and postneonatal aspects are important health indicators and thus warrant regular analysis even in developed countries where the rates thereof have dropped considerably. This study is aimed at describing the changes recorded in these rates in Andalusia over the past twenty-five years. METHODS: The annual infant, early and late neonatal and postneonatal mortality rates have been calculated for the 1975-1998 period. Poisson regression was used to estimate the annual percentages of change in the rates for the 1975-1986 and 1987-1998 periods, as well as for the entire 1975-1998 period. An analysis was also made of the proportional mortality rate due to infectious, respiratory, congenital causes, disorders having arisen during the perinatal period and all other causes, as well as the ratio for mortality rates due to disorders having arisen in the perinatal period and for all causes as a whole for the 1994-1998 four-year period as compared to the 1975-1979 period, in infant, neonatal (early and late) and postnatal periods. RESULTS: The greatest percentage drops were in early (6.38%) and late (4.6%) neonatal mortality. The ratio for mortality rates due to disorders having arisen in the perinatal period for the 1994-1998 and 1975-1975 periods is 10 for the postneonatal mortality rate, whilst it is under 1 for the late (0.63) and early (0.33) neonatal and infant (0.30) mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality during the infant, early and late neonatal and postneonatal periods dropped sharply during the 1975-1998 period. The risk of death due to disorders arising during the perinatal period among children ranging from four weeks to one year of age (postneonatal period) rose tenfold during the 1975-1979 and 1994-1998 periods.     

Risk factors for infant mortality from diseases in Japan 1995-98

OBJECTIVE: Since 1995, additional information (i.e. birth weight, singleton/multiple births, gestational weeks, maternal age, maternal parity and stillbirth experience) has been required for certificates of infant (less than 1 year of age) death from diseases in Japan. The present study examined the effects of biological, demographic and social variables, as reported on birth and death certificates, on infant, neonatal and postneonatal mortality in Japan. METHODS: Using data from vital statistics between 1995 and 1998, more than 4,787,000 livebirths and 16,000 infant deaths from diseases were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses with the Poisson regression model were employed to assess the effects of variables on infant, neonatal and postneonatal mortality by singleton and multiple livebirths separately. RESULTS: The infant mortality rates from diseases were 3.2/1000 for singleton livebirths and 17.7/1000 for multiple livebirths. In singleton livebirths, low birth weight, infant born in earlier years, being a male infant, employment status as "unemployed or unknown", short gestational weeks, late birth in multiparity and maternal stillbirth experience were all significantly related to increased risk of neonatal and postneonatal deaths. Teenage mother were also at high risk of postneonatal deaths. Regional differences were observed. Compared with singleton livebirths, birthweight-specific mortality rates in multiple livebirths were relatively low among infants weighing under 2500 g. In multiple livebirths, elevated risk of death was associated with low birth weight, infant born in earlier years, employment status as "unemployed or unknown" and short gestational weeks. However, late birth in multiparity was related to a reduced risk of death, and maternal stillbirth experience was not a significant variable. CONCLUSION: This study provided the first quantitative estimate of risk of infant mortality from diseases in Japan. Since a more detailed elucidation of actual conditions and risk factors of infant deaths by vital statistics has become possible, efficient measures for improvement of infant mortality are to be expected.     

Incidence of congenital malformations and neonatal mortality in children born at the Regional Hospital in Brzeziny in years 1990-2001

The aim of the study was to estimate the incidence of congenital malformations and neonatal mortality rate in children born in our hospital from 1990 to 2001, taking into account the effects of low birth weight and premature delivery. We investigated medical documentation of 5496 children born during the analyzed period. Presence of major and minor malformations and survival through the neonatal period were determined for each subject. Among newborns with low birth weight 8.3% were born with congenital malformations, among those born preterm--12.1%. The major malformations were 3 times more often in children with low birth weight and 4 times more often in children born prematurely. In our cohort the mortality of 0.2% was observed. Congenital defects, followed by the complications of preterm delivery, were the predominant causes of natal death. Deaths due to congenital defects occurred twice as often as the deaths caused by prematurity complications. The congenital malformations mortality in newborns with congenital malformations reached 4.8%. The majority of congenital defects deaths were caused by central nervous system defects, chromosomal aberrations and multiple congenital malformations.     

Cause-Specific Trends in Neonatal Mortality Among Black and White Infants,United States, 1980–1995

Objective: Although neonatal mortality has been declining more rapidly than postneonatal mortality in recent decades, neonatal mortality continues to account for close to two-thirds of all infant deaths. This report uses U.S. vital statistics data to describe national trends in the major causes of neonatal mortality among black and white infants from 1980 to 1995. Methods: Mortality rates were estimated as the number of deaths due to each cause (based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, codes) divided by the number of live births during the same time period. Linear regression models and smoothed rates were used to describe trends. Results: During the study period, neonatal mortality declined 4.0% per year for white infants and 2.2% per year for black infants, and the black–white gap increased from 2.0 to 2.4. By 1995, disorders relating to short gestation and low birth weight were the number one cause of neonatal death for black infants and the number two cause for white infants, had the highest black–white disparity (4.6, up from 3.3 in 1980), and accounted for almost 40% of excess deaths to black infants (up from 24% in 1980). Congenital anomalies were the number two cause of neonatal death for black infants and the highest ranked cause for white infants in 1995, and it is the only cause for which there was not a substantial excess risk to black infants. Conclusions: Large declines in neonatal mortality have been achieved in recent years, but not in the black–white gap, which has increased. Declines were slower for black than white infants overall and for almost all causes. Prevention of preterm delivery and low birth weight continue to be a priority for reducing neonatal mortality, particularly among black infants. Although congenital anomalies do not contribute substantially to the black–white gap, their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention is critical to reducing overall neonatal mortality.     

Birth weight-specific infant mortality due to congenital anomalies, 1960 and 1980

The impact of mortality due to congenital anomalies in single-delivery births was compared in 1960 and 1980 birth cohorts; data were used from the 1960 National Center for Health Statistics national linkage of birth and death certificates and the 1980 National Infant Mortality Surveillance project. In 1960 there were 14,714 deaths due to congenital anomalies, compared with 8,674 in 1980, a 41 percent reduction. The infant mortality risk (IMR) due to congenital anomalies fell 31 percent. This is in contrast with the observed 54 percent decline in IMR due to all causes. This reduction in mortality due to congenital anomalies occurred for both whites and blacks in the postneonatal period and for whites only in the neonatal period. Changes ranged from a 1.8 percent increase for the black neonatal mortality risk to a 46.6 percent decrease for the white postneonatal mortality risk. In spite of these relative reductions, the absolute percentage of all infant deaths due to congenital anomalies had increased from 15.8 percent in 1960 to 24.1 percent in 1980. Two categories, cardiovascular and central nervous system anomalies, accounted for 72 percent of infant deaths due to congenital anomalies in 1960 and for 59 percent in 1980; cardiovascular anomalies accounted for 48 percent of all deaths due to congenital anomalies in 1960 and 40 percent in 1980. Infant mortality risks in the United States showed a 2:1 black to white ratio in both 1960 and 1980. However, for infant mortality due to congenital anomalies, the black and white mortality risks were approximately equal in both 1960 and 1980. For infants with birth weights of 500-2,499 g, the risk of neonatal mortality for blacks was less than half the risk for whites.     

陕西省新生儿死亡评审的现状及对策分析

目的 了解陕西省目前新生儿死亡现状及其影响因素,分析在新生儿危重症救治工作中存在的问题和薄弱环节,进而提出改进意见和建议,为制订相关政策提供理论依据。方法 以陕西省新生儿死亡评审为基础,依托5岁以下儿童死亡监测系统,分析新生儿死亡现状,研究自2010年开展新生儿死亡评审以来,新生儿死亡评审制度对新生儿死亡率的影响,并进行综合评价。结果 新生儿死亡数逐年下降,总死亡率由2010年的8.94‰下降至2016年的3.87‰,下降幅度为5.07‰,农村下降幅度(5.77‰)大于城市(1.8‰)。导致新生儿死亡常见的疾病为:出生窒息、肺炎、先天性心脏病、意外窒息、其他先天性异常、早产低出生体重。出生窒息为2010、2011、2013年的顺位第一,自2015年开始早产低出生体重为顺位第一,2012年顺位第一为先天性心脏病。7年间共评审病例66例,参评专家83人,其中11(16.7%) 例“不可避免”死亡;37(56.0%)例 “创造条件可避免”, 18(27.3%)例“可避免”死亡。结论 应加强化新生儿复苏技术培训以降低陕西省新生儿死亡率;重点开展早产儿救治技术、新生儿危重症识别及救治技术的培训;建立并规范全省范围内的危重新生儿转诊网络。     

The association of maternal smoking with age and cause of infant death

Linked birth certificate and infant death certificate data from Missouri for 1979-1983 were used to explore the association of maternal smoking with age and cause of infant death. The data included 305,730 singleton white livebirths, of which 2,720 resulted in infant deaths. Using multiple logistic regression to control for the confounding effects of maternal age, parity, marital status, and education, the authors found that smoking was associated with both neonatal and post-neonatal mortality and with each cause of death except congenital anomalies. The adjusted odds ratio for smoking was higher for postneonatal deaths than neonatal deaths and was particularly high for two causes: respiratory disease (odds ratio = 3.4) and sudden infant death syndrome (odds ratio = 1.9). A moderate odds ratio (about 1.4) was found for causes attributed to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision Perinatal Conditions Chapter. Although the associations for neonatal deaths and perinatal conditions were partially attributable to the effect of maternal smoking in lowering birth weight, virtually none of the excess respiratory mortality and sudden infant death syndrome mortality among the offspring of smokers was attributable to birth weight differences between the infants of smokers and nonsmokers. This suggests that respiratory deaths and sudden infant death syndrome deaths may be related to the effect of passive exposure of the infant to smoke after birth.     

Previous fetal loss and risk of sudden infant death syndrome in subsequent offspring.

The relationships between previous fetal loss (obtained by mother's statement) and certain categories of infant death including probable instances of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDSp) were examined. The deaths were those occurring among the cohort of live singleton births born in the State of North Carolina, 1960-1967. SIDSp were defined by age (28-364 days), place of death (outside the hospital), and certain ICD code numbers of the 7th Revision (273, 331, 422.2, 491-493, 500-501, 522, 525, 527.2, 762, 795 and 924). Other deaths in the postneonatal period were dichotomized between congenital malformations (ICD 750-759) and all other causes combined. Neonatal deaths were classified as due to either congenital malformations or other causes. For neonatal deaths and for all categories of deaths other than SIDSp in the postneonatal period there was a strong tendency for the standardized mortality ratios (SMR) to increase with increasing history of previous fetal loss. This was true for blacks and whites, and for both mothers under and over 25 years of age. The SMR for SIDSp, on the other hand, suggested an opposite association among blacks and little association among whites. Overall there was a significant difference between the patterns for SIDSp and all other postneonatal causes of death combined.     

Neonatal mortality in Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil, in 1994, 1999, and 2002

Despite technological progress in recent decades, neonatal mortality accounts for some two-thirds of infant deaths where the infant mortality rates are low. This study analyzes neonatal deaths in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, during three periods, beginning with 1994, the year when pediatric and neonatal intensive care beds were created in the city. The data were collected from live birth certificates in the National Information System on Live Births (SINASC) and individual analysis of neonatal death certificates. Births declined in the city, but the low birthweight rate increased from 7.7 to 8.8% and the preterm birth rate from 6.3 to 8.4%. Multiple births also increased. Caesarian sections varied from 48 to 52%. The percentage of deaths from congenital malformations increased. The vast majority of neonatal deaths are preventable, mainly by providing specialized care during pregnancy. The neonatal mortality rate has declined recently, from 10.1 to 6.4 per 1,000 live births. The authors conclude that neonatal care is improving in Londrina.     

2000～2010年哈尔滨市婴儿死亡趋势分析

目的:掌握哈尔滨市婴儿死亡特点、死因顺位及变化趋势,降低婴儿死亡率。方法:按照《中国5岁以下儿童死亡监测方案》的要求进行资料的收集和整理。死亡诊断和分类依据国际疾病分类标准(ICD-10)进行分类和评价。结果:①2001～2010年婴儿死亡率变化趋势:婴儿死亡率总体呈下降趋势(P<0.05);②2000～2010年11年间早期新生儿占新生儿死亡82.95%,新生儿占婴儿死亡77.73%,婴儿死亡占5岁以下儿童死亡85.10%,10年间这种构成状况无明显变化;③早产低体重是婴儿死亡的首位原因。④婴儿死亡前5位死因:早产低体重、先心病、新生儿窒息、先天异常和肺炎。2000～2010年新生儿窒息死亡构成比由14.88%下降到9.24%。结论:①婴儿死亡率总体呈下降趋势,早产低体重仍是首位死亡原因,先心病从2006年起连续5年均居第二位。新生儿窒息10年来虽然一直排在婴儿死因顺位的前三位,但死亡构成比呈明显下降趋势;②减少新生儿死亡,尤其是早期新生儿死亡是降低婴儿死亡率的关键。     

Overview of the National Infant Mortality Surveillance (NIMS) project--design, methods, results

The recent slowdown in the decline of infant mortality in the United States and the continued high risk of death among black infants (twice that of white infants) prompted a consortium of Public Health Service agencies to collaborate with all States in the development of a national data base from linked birth and infant death certificates. This National Infant Mortality Surveillance (NIMS) project for the 1980 U.S. birth cohort provides neonatal, postneonatal, and infant mortality risks for blacks, whites, and all races in 12 categories of birth weights. (Note: Neonatal mortality risk = number of deaths to infants less than 28 days of life per 1,000 live births; postneonatal mortality risk = number of deaths to infants 28 days to less than 1 year of life per 1,000 neonatal survivors; and infant mortality risk = number of deaths to infants less than 1 year of life per 1,000 live births.) Separate tabulations were requested for infants born in single and multiple deliveries. For single-delivery births, tabulations included birth weight, age at death, race of infant, and each of these characteristics: infant's live-birth order, sex, gestation, type of delivery, and cause of death; and mother's age, education, prenatal care history, and number of prior fetal losses at 20 weeks' or more gestation. An estimated 95 percent of eligible deaths were included in the NIMS tabulations. The analyses focus on three components of infant mortality: birth weight distribution of live births, neonatal mortality, and postneonatal mortality. The most important predictor for infant survival was birth weight, with an exponential improvement in survival by increasing birth weight to its optimum level. The nearly twofold higher risk of infant mortality among blacks was related to a higher prevalence of low birth weights and to higher mortality risks in the neonatal period for infants weighing 3,000 grams or more, and in the postneonatal period for all infants, regardless of birth weight. Regardless of other infant or maternal risk factors, the black-white gap persisted for infants weighing 2,500 grams or more.     

Infant mortality in Norway and Sweden 1975–88: a cause-specific analysis of an increasing difference

In a previous article, a high infant mortality was reported in the 1980s in Norway compared with Sweden. The aim of the present study was to assess secular trends in this difference, and to clarify whether the difference was confined to particular causes of death. Mortality rates, ratios of mortality rates and numbers of excess deaths were calculated on the basis of birth records comprising all livebirths in Norway and Sweden during the two periods 1975–79 and 1985–88. From the first to the second period, the infant mortality ratio for Norway to Sweden increased from 1.22 to 1.45 for single births, and from 1.23 to 1.54 for twin births. Increasing mortality ratios were observed for all ages at death. These were lowest in the early neonatal period (1.09 and 1.20 respectively) and highest in the postneonatal period (1.53 and 1.78 respectively). Within each cause of death category, the mortality rate in Norway was equal to or higher than the rate in Sweden. The highest mortality rate ratios were observed for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), 2.44 and 2.46 respectively, for the two time periods. SIDS was also the single cause of death that gave the largest contribution to the Norwegian excess mortality (45% and 53% overall, 65% and 78% for postneonatal deaths, and 65% and 79% for birthweights above 2500 g). In the second period, the excess SIDS mortality in Norway pertained mainly to infants of young mothers, infants of birth order two or more and twin births. An adverse trend for infants of young mothers in Norway was also observed in non-SIDS deaths. This suggests that in Norway, preventive health care should be improved, particularly for young mothers and their infants.     

2003-2014年武汉市儿童医院住院儿童死亡病例分析

目的分析武汉市儿童医院12年间住院死亡儿童年龄分布、入院后死亡时间、死亡原因、住院病死率及其变化趋势。方法对武汉市儿童医院2003-2014年间住院儿童中1 179例死亡病例进行回顾性统计分析。结果 2003-2014年间住院儿童总病死率为0.19%,前10年各年度病死率无显著变化,从2013年开始病死率有下降趋势;死亡儿童中以新生儿居多,占39.02%,其次为1岁以内婴儿,占31.98%;死亡时间大部份为入院后9d内;死亡原因按系统分类前五位是新生儿疾病、呼吸系统疾病、先天畸形、神经系统疾病及消化系统疾病;主要死因疾病单病种前五位是肺炎、先天性心脏病、中枢神经系统感染、脓毒症和新生儿感染性肺炎。结论降低住院儿童病死率重点是提高新生儿疾病、感染性疾病和先天畸形的诊治水平。