Discrepancy in the perinatal mortality registries from Lima and Callao according to sources of informtation

Abstract

Objectives. Determine the quality and variability of perinatal mortality (PM) records in Lima and Callao. Materials and methods. Key informants were interview to evaluate the processes. The reference for foetal deaths was taken from the obstetric registry and for early neonatal deaths as the neonatal registry. These were compared with records at a diverse range of levels in hospitals, Regional Directorates of Health (DISA) and Civil Registries (CR). The filling quality of death certificates and necropsy registries was also reviewed. Results. There were different and not well defined recording processes. The registration processes varied and were not well-defined. In the statistics offices of the hospitals there were recorded 2% more of fetal deaths. There was no discrepancy in foetal mortality registration in 3 hospitals using the Perinatal Information System; data for early neonatal death was only found in these hospitals and in the Instituto Especializado Materno Perinatal. Maternal perinatal section of the DISA and five hopsitals statistics offices recorded less than 9% fetal deaths and 23% of early neonatal deaths. The statistics office of the DISA only registered foetal deaths from 3 hospitals and did not register any early neonatal deaths. An underreported of 50% (-100% to +11.1%) of foetal deaths and 33.3% (-89.2 to +66.7%) of early neonatal deaths was found in the CR. In 70% of foetal death certificates the cause of death was recorded as “unknown”. 29% of foetal deaths and 24,9% of early neonatal deaths were autopsied. Conclusions. There is an important discrepancy in the basic records between the DISA and CR, which suggests that the processes and tools must be standarized, establish a surveillance system to incorporate the use of Perinatal Information System and feedback information to reduce the unrecorded perinatal mortality.