Summary:
Objective: To verify the excellent level of perinatal care in the Czech Republic in the world-wide context.
Design: International comparative perinatal epidemiologic study.
Setting: Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague.
Methods: Analysis of the relationship of perinatal mortality and 8 other selected indicators of perinatal
care in 40 countries with perinatal mortality lower than 10‰ out of 192 WHO members states.
Results: The analysis pointed out than only 6–8 countries achieved the currently lowest perinatal mortality
of 4-6‰ (out of which less than 2‰ are due to the ENM and 2–3 fold more due to the stillbirts, as
well the lowest infant mortality (3–5‰) and maternal mortality ratio (less than 15/100 live-born babies).
The frequency od CS which was not above 20% in these countries was not interrelated with either perinatal
or maternal mortality. In the Czech Republic, all the indicators were closer to lower levels what
indicates that the Czech Republic belongs to the countries with the best results. The decreasing perinatal
and maternal mortality led to the increasing expenses for the care and these were in negative correlation
with the population density. The population density has an impact on the network of health care
facilities and on the transport system of pregnant women, pathological newborns and newborn of very
low birthweight to perinatal centers.
Conclusion: Based on the results of the comparative analysis of perinatal mortality and 8 other selected
indicators we can evaluate their reliability and also the level of perinatal care. The Czech Republic
belongs among countries with the lowest perinatal mortality in the world.
Key words:
perinatal mortality, other indicators, their reporting, relationship, level of perinatal care in
the Czech Republic, international comparison
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