Baby death rate lowest since 2007

The report says 95 deaths were considered potentially avoidable. Photo / Thinkstock

Perinatal figures seen as encouraging but rate of maternal suicide cause for concern.

New Zealand's rate of perinatal death has dipped to the lowest since 2007, a health watchdog says.

However, our rate of maternal suicide is seven times greater than Britain's, new figures reveal.

The Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee has released its latest report on perinatal deaths - which are of foetuses and babies from 20 weeks gestation to 28 days following birth or weighing at least 400g if gestation is not known.

For 2013, the committee recorded 12 maternal deaths and 598 "perinatal-related deaths".

That equates to one death for every 100 babies born. The report says 95 deaths - 16 per cent of all perinatal-related deaths - were considered potentially avoidable, because of a range of factors including failure to obtain antenatal care, and health workers not following best practice.

Dr Sue Belgrave, the chairwoman of the Government-appointed committee, said that in 2013, the perinatal-related mortality rate fell to its lowest level since 2007, the first year such perinatal deaths were reported by the committee. Although not statistically significant, "any reduction is encouraging".

Meanwhile, our rate of maternal death from the rare obstetric emergency called amniotic fluid embolism - in which the fluid from around the foetus, or fetal cells or hair, enter the mother's blood stream and cause an allergic reaction - was six times greater than Britain's.

The numbers of deaths are small but the disparity with a similar country has alarmed a health watchdog. "While international comparisons are difficult, it is of concern that the rates of [maternal] death from suicide and amniotic fluid embolism are so much higher in New Zealand than in the UK," said Dr Belgrave.

"The [committee] will complete further analysis of maternal suicide and amniotic fluid embolism in 2015 and report our findings in the [next] report," Dr Belgrave said in the committee's findings on deaths in 2013, made public today.

From 2006 to 2013, the committee recorded 89 maternal deaths: 54 were indirect maternal deaths, 30 were directly related to having a baby, and five were unclassifiable.

Over that period, amniotic fluid embolism was the leading direct cause, with 12 deaths attributed to it, while for indirect causes, suicide and pre-existing medical conditions were the joint leading causes, each accounting for 21 deaths.

The report says three health districts have significantly higher unadjusted rates of perinatal-related deaths than the overall New Zealand rate and may need extra help: Counties Manukau (for all perinatal-related deaths), Northland (stillbirths and neonatal deaths), and Bay of Plenty (neonatal deaths).

How many
60,039 total births
598 deaths from 20 weeks gestation to 28 days following birth
12 maternal deaths
Source: Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee report on 2013