Abstract
ObjectiveTo examine the feasibility of applying the International Classification of Diseases-perinatal mortality (ICD-PM) coding to an existing data set in the classification of perinatal deaths.MethodsOne author, a researcher with a non-clinical public health background, applied the ICD-PM coding system to South Africa’s national perinatal mortality audit system, the Perinatal Problem Identification Program. The database for this study included all perinatal deaths (n = 26 810), defined as either stillbirths (of birth weight > 1000 g and after 28 weeks of gestation) or early neonatal deaths (age 0–7 days), that occurred between 1 October 2013 and 31 December 2016. A clinical obstetrician verified the coding.FindingsThe South African classification system does not include the timing of death; however, under the ICD-PM system, deaths could be classified as antepartum (n = 15 619; 58.2%), intrapartum (n = 3725; 14.0%) or neonatal (n = 7466; 27.8%). Further, the South African classification system linked a maternal condition to only 40.3% (10 802/26 810) of all perinatal deaths; this proportion increased to 68.9% (18 467/26 810) under the ICD-PM system.ConclusionThe main benefit of using the clinically relevant and user-friendly ICD-PM system was an enhanced understanding of the data, in terms of both timing of death and maternal conditions. We have also demonstrated that it is feasible to convert an existing perinatal mortality classification system to one which is globally comparable and can inform policy-makers internationally.
Highlights
High on the global health agenda is the need to accelerate progress towards ending preventable perinatal deaths, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as either a stillbirth of weight > 1000 g or after at least 28 weeks gestation, or an early neonatal death in the first 7 days after birth.[1]
Of particular importance is the need to focus on the mother–infant dyad, as maternal condition is closely related to perinatal death.[1]
The Every Newborn Action Plan recommends that maternal complications be recorded as part of perinatal death registration; challenges existed in applying the 10th edition of the ICD (ICD-10) classification system as maternal condition was not linked to perinatal condition.[7]
Summary
High on the global health agenda is the need to accelerate progress towards ending preventable perinatal deaths, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as either a stillbirth of weight > 1000 g or after at least 28 weeks gestation, or an early neonatal death in the first 7 days after birth.[1]. ICD-PM is modelled on the WHO application of the ICD-10 system to deaths during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (ICD-maternal mortality or ICD-MM),[11] and follows all coding rules of ICD-
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