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. 2000 Aug;90(8):1303–1306. doi: 10.2105/ajph.90.8.1303

Effect of nonviable infants on the infant mortality rate in Philadelphia, 1992.

E Gibson 1, J Culhane 1, T Saunders 1, D Webb 1, J Greenspan 1
PMCID: PMC1446342  PMID: 10937015

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This report measured the effect of births at 22 weeks' gestation or earlier on infant mortality in Philadelphia, Pa. METHODS: The proportion of live-born deliveries at 22 weeks or earlier was calculated. Overall and race-specific infant mortality was calculated after excluding live-born deliveries at 22 weeks' gestation or earlier. RESULTS: Of all deliveries, 1.5% were at 22 weeks or earlier. Of these, 68% were stillborn and 32% were live-born. Large hospital-to-hospital variation in the proportion of live-born deliveries at 22 weeks' gestation or earlier was noted. When nonviable births were excluded, overall infant mortality decreased 40%. CONCLUSIONS: The development of a standardized birth certificate policy is needed and will facilitate comparisons of infant mortality across spatial boundaries and racial/ethnic groups.

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Selected References

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