-
Source: Reuters
New Zealand's perinatal mortality rates are comparable to Australia and the UK.
New figures show one in 100 babies died between 20 weeks gestation and the first 28 days of life.
The report by the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee focuses on data collected in the last six months of 2006. One third of perinatal deaths were associated with foetal abnormalities.
Hospital practice is being blamed for three of the 14 deaths which occurred during child birth in 2006. Six mothers died as a direct result of child birth, four were suicide and one was due to a brain haemorrhage. The others were caused by either pre-existing medial conditions or were unclassifiable.
Chairwoman Cynthia Farquhar says their report found a lack of communication between clinicians and uncertainty over their responsibilities.
There were also multiple clinical records for the same patient within district health boards.
Pacific and Maori women and mothers under the age of 20 years were most likely to lose their child.
Professor Farquhar says it is about access to services, being healthy and attending antenatal care early.
