The Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee 16th Report has been released this morning. Please feel free to circulate amongst your networks.
The Sixteenth Annual Report of the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee | Te P?rongo ?-Tau Tekau m? Ono o te Komiti Arotake Mate P?pi, Mate Whaea Hoki aims to:
provide epidemiological analysis of perinatal mortality from 2007 to 2021, maternal mortality from 2006 to 2021, neonatal encephalopathy from 2010 to 2021 and COVID-19 impact on perinatal mortality
monitor and track trends and disparities to identify areas for improvement
stimulate discussion around appropriate areas for further research.
The key findings of the 16th report show the following.
Ethnicity, deprivation and age inequities persist across perinatal and maternal mortality. There continues to be worse outcomes for babies with Indian, M?ori and Pacific mothers/birthing people compared with New Zealand European mothers/birthing people.
The overall annual perinatal mortality rate has not significantly decreased in the period 2007 to 2021.
There is a slight, but inequitable, decrease in the rate of stillbirth between the years of 2007 and 2021. The reduction of rates are predominantly between the years of 2007 and 2012 and there has not been much change in this rate in the last 10 years.
The likelihood of a pregnancy ending in a perinatal death was 7.37 times higher for those with a confirmed COVID-19 infection during pregnancy than those without any confirmed COVID infection. Note that while the numbers were small and 95% confidence interval was broad (2.96?18.36), it was still significant (p < 0.01).
Annual rates of neonatal encephalopathy show a small yet statistically significant trend upwards.
While it is recommended that all babies with moderate and severe neonatal encephalopathy receive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessment of the extent of brain injury and to provide important information to predict neurodevelopmental outcomes, this is still not being achieved. M?ori were the least likely group to receive an MRI.
Over the period 2006 to 2021, M?ori and Pacific peoples have over twice the rate of maternal mortality compared to the group with the lowest rate (European). If the M?ori and Pacific mortality rates were the same as the European rates, overall maternal mortality in Aotearoa New Zealand would be 30 percent lower.
Suicide remains the leading cause of maternal death in Aotearoa New Zealand, accounting for over 40 percent of direct maternal mortality events. Over the period 2006 to 2021, w?hine M?ori had over three times the suicide rate of New Zealand Europeans.
The findings of the 16th report form recommendations that echo key areas identified for improvement in previous reports by the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee.
Once you have had a chance to look through the report, we would really appreciate you taking two minutes to complete a brief survey. Surveys help us to understand whether reports such as this provide useful information to effect change and will assist in future planning. You can complete the survey here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CVWTRBK
