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Adjusted births

Registered births adjusted by removing all stillbirths and neonatal deaths where birthweight was known to be less than 400 grams. This is the denominator used in calculating perinatal death rates in this publication. This adjustment is made in order to enable meaningful perinatal death rates to be calculated. See Explanatory Notes, paragraph 6.

Associated causes

All causes listed on a death certificate other than the underlying cause.

Death rates

For comparison and measuring purposes, perinatal deaths in this publication have also been expressed as rates. These rates are defined as follows:

• for fetal deaths and total perinatal deaths, the rates represent the number of deaths per 1,000 total relevant births which comprises live births and fetal deaths combined (where birthweight was at least 400 grams).
• for neonatal deaths, the rates represent the number of deaths per 1,000 live births (where birthweight was at least 400 grams).

A fetal death is the delivery of a child, who did not, at any time after delivery, breathe or show any other evidence of life such as a heartbeat. (A birthweight criterion applies. See Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 6-8).

Live births

A live birth is the birth of a child, who, after delivery, breathes or shows any other evidence of life such as a heartbeat. (A birthweight criterion applies. See Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 8-9).

Multiple causes of death

All morbid conditions, diseases and injuries entered on the death certificate. These include those involved in the morbid train of events leading to death which were classified as either the underlying cause, the immediate cause, or any intervening causes and those conditions which contributed to death, but were not related to the disease or condition causing death. For deaths where the underlying cause was identified as an external cause (injury or poisoning) multiple causes include circumstances of injury, the nature of injury as well as any other conditions reported on the death certificate.

Neonatal death

A neonatal death is the death within 28 days of birth of any child who, after delivery, breathed or showed any other evidence of life such as a heartbeat. (A birthweight criterion applies. See Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 6-8).

Perinatal death

A perinatal death is a fetal death or neonatal death. (A birthweight criterion applies. See Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 6-8).

Stillbirth

See Fetal death.

Total Relevant Births

Comprises live births and fetal deaths combined (where birthweight was at least 400 grams).

Underlying cause of death

The disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death. Accidental and violent deaths are classified according to the external cause, that is, to the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury rather than to the nature of the injury.