Setting targets for population health improvements: Trends in perinatal health in Europe over the past five years

Abstract

Abstract Background The Euro-Peristat network documented disparities in perinatal outcomes between countries in Europe in its reports published every 5 years, but trend analyses were limited because data were not collected annually. Methods Using the Euro-Peristat PHIRI protocol, we estimated rates and assessed trends between 2015 and 2019 for preterm birth, stillbirth, neonatal mortality and caesarean delivery. Country-specific relative risks (RR) for year, modelled as a continuous variable, were estimated and random effects meta-analysis used to generate pooled RRs. Heterogeneity was measured with the I2 statistic (percentage of variability in estimates due to heterogeneity rather than sampling error). Results Stillbirth rates ≥24 weeks of gestational age (GA) varied in 2019 from <2.5 per 1000 births in Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Slovenia to over 4 per 1000 in Belgium, Cyprus, UK Wales and Lithuania. Preterm birth rates ranged from <6% in Lithuania, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Denmark to 8% or more in Portugal, Belgium, UK Scotland and Cyprus. Fewer than 20% of births were by caesarean in Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, Estonia in comparison to one-third in Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, UK Scotland. Trends over time differed between countries and were not related to the level of the indicator: the pooled RR by year for preterm birth was 0.99 [0.99; 1.00] with five countries having significant decreases and three countries having increases. Caesarean section rates were stable overall (RR: 1.00 [0.99; 1.01]RR:1.00, 95% CI: 0.99-1.01), but with high heterogeneity (I2=99%); in six countries rates increased significantly, whereas in nine rates decreased between 2015 and 2019. Conclusions European countries have varying rates and trends of the principal perinatal health indicators. Investigation of policies in high-performing countries could provide guidance for improvement elsewhere.