Perinatal deaths by PSANZ classification

​​​​​​​​​​​On this page

  1. Overview
  2. Perinatal deaths by PSANZ perinatal death classification and maternity service level, NSW 2021
  3. Downloads
  4. Notes
  5. Related links

Overview

Hospital maternity service levels are used to group hospitals with similar characteristics for comparative reporting and service planning purposes (see Glossary and explanatory notes​). In NSW in 2021, 53.0% of perinatal deaths were among babies born in maternity service level 6 hospitals. The percentage of perinatal deaths attributed to congenital abnormalities was higher among babies born in maternity service level 6 hospitals (37.2%) compared to all other hospital maternity service levels, reflecting patterns of referral for diagnosis and treatment. Maternity service level 6 hospitals had lower rates of unexplained antepartum fetal deaths (6.6%) compared to other hospital maternity service levels, possibly due to better access to perinatal post-mortem services.​

Perinatal deaths by PSANZ perinatal death classification and maternity service level, NSW 2021

By number of births

PSANZ-PDC Major categoryLevel 6Level 5Level 4Level 3Level 2Public hospital1PrivateTotal NSW2
Congenital anomaly17450176024718265
Perinatal infection1916n.p.n.p.0n.p.n.p.44
Hypertension16570028028
Antepartum haemorrhage (APH)22157n.p.0n.p.n.p.52
Maternal conditions4516n.p.n.p.0n.p.n.p.68
Complications of multiple pregnancy34n.p.n.p.0045651
Specific perinatal conditions
1117n.p.n.p.0361046
Hypoxic peripartum deathn.p.6n.p.n.p.0n.p.n.p.21
Placental dysfunction or causative placental pathology3710760601173
Spontaneous​ preterm labour or rupture of membranes (<37 weeks gestation)​
692213601108118
Unexplained antepartum fetal death312225n.p.n.p.9317110
Neonatal death without obstetric antecedentn.p.n.p.n.p.00707
Total46819096n.p.n.p.79882883

By percentage of births

PSANZ-PDC Major categoryLevel 6Level 5Level 4Level 3Level 2Public hospital1PrivateTotal NSW2
Congenital anomaly37.226.317.714.00.031.022.030.0
Perinatal infection4.18.4n.p.n.p.0.0n.p.n.p.5.0
Hypertension3.42.67.30.00.03.50.03.2
Antepartum haemorrhage (APH)4.77.97.3n.p.0.0n.p.n.p.5.9
Maternal conditions9.68.4n.p.n.p.0.0n.p.n.p.7.7
Complications of multiple pregnancy7.3n.p.n.p.0.00.05.67.35.8
Specific perinatal conditions2.48.9n.p.n.p.0.04.512.25.2
Hypoxic peripartum death​
n.p.3.2n.p.n.p.0.0n.p.n.p.2.4
Placental dysfunction or causative placental pathology7.95.37.314.00.07.513.48.3
Spontaneous preterm labour or rupture of membranes (<37 weeks gestation)14.711.613.514.00.013.89.813.4
Unexplained antepartum fetal death6.611.626.0n.p.100.011.720.712.5
Neonatal death without obstetric antecedentn.p.n.p.
n.p.0.00.00.90.00.8
Total100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0

Downloads

Notes

Source: Maternal and Child Health Register​ (SAPHaRI). Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health.

Neonatal deaths comprise babies who were born and died in NSW, including babies who died after discharge or transfer from the hospital of birth. Maternity service levels are described in Explanatory notes.

  1. Public total includes public hospitals with a maternity service level other than those specified in the table.
  2. Total NSW includes births at home assisted by independent midwives and births at level 1 hospitals.
  3. Cells with counts less than 5 are suppressed, and other cells may also be hidden to prevent back-calculation. These cells are marked with n.p.
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Current as at: Wednesday 31 July 2024
Contact page owner: Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence