RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Comparing regional neonatal mortality rates: the influence of registration of births as live born for birth weight <500 g in Taiwan
JF BMJ Paediatrics Open
JO BMJ Paediatrics Open
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e000526
DO 10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000526
VO 3
IS 1
A1 Liang-Yi Wang
A1 Yu-Shan Chang
A1 Fu-Wen Liang
A1 Yung-Chieh Lin
A1 Yuh-Jyh Lin
A1 Tsung-Hsueh Lu
A1 Chyi-Her Lin
YR 2019
UL http://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000526.abstract
AB Objective To investigate regional variation in the registration of births (still+live) as live born for birth weight <500 g and the impact on the city/county ranking of neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in Taiwan.Design Population-based cross-sectional ecological study.Setting 20 cities/counties in Taiwan.Participants Registered births for birth weight <500 g and neonatal deaths in 2015–2016.Main outcome measures City/county percentage of births <500 g registered as live born and ranking of city/county NMR (deaths per 1000 live births) including and excluding live births <500 g.Results The percentage of births <500 g registered as live born ranged from 0% in Keelung City (0/26) and Penghu County (0/4) to 20% in Taipei City (112/558), 24% in Hsinchu County (5/21) and 28% in Hualien County (9/32). The change in city/county ranking of NMR from including to excluding live births <500 g was most prominent in Taipei City (from the 15th to the 1st) followed by Kaohsiung City (from the 18th to the 14th).Conclusions The city/county NMR in Taiwan is influenced by variation in the registration of live born for births with uncertain viability. We recommend presenting city/county NMR using both criteria (with or without minimum threshold of gestation period or birth weight) for better interpretation of the findings of comparisons of city/county NMR.