Title
The influence of prenatal screening and termination of pregnancy on perinatal mortality rates
Author
van der Pal-de Bruin, K.M.
Graafmans, W.
Biermans, M.C.J.
Richardus, J.H.
Zijlstra, A.G.
Reefhuis, J.
Mackenbach, J.P.
Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P.
TNO Preventie en Gezondheid
Publication year
2002
Abstract
Objectives This study concerns the possible effect of practice of prenatal screening of congenital anomalies followed by termination of pregnancy on the perinatal mortality between European countries. Methods Data of nine region-specific EUROCAT registries from five European countries were used to compare the pregnancy termination rate and perinatal mortality due to congenital anomalies between the registries. The impact of pregnancy terminations on the perinatal mortality rate was estimated using a calculated lethality for each congenital anomaly in the hypothetical case that no pregnancy terminations had been performed and was expressed in the 'natural' perinatal mortality rate. Results There are large differences between the EUROCAT registries in the number of pregnancy terminations for congenital anomalies. The difference between the 'natural' and regular perinatal mortality rate vary between 3.7 and 14.1 per 10000 live births and stillbirths. The difference is greater in regions where prenatal screening is more common than in regions where this is not common. Conclusion Differences in practice of prenatal screening and termination of pregnancy of congenital anomalies contribute to the variations in the overall perinatal mortality rate between European regions and countries. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subject
Health
Perinatal mortality rate
Congenital malformation
Europe
Fetus
Major clinical study
Mortality
Newborn
Perinatal mortality
Pregnancy termination
Prenatal screening
Spina bifida
Statistics
Abnormalities
Abortion, Eugenic
Adult
Female
Humans
Infant Mortality
Infant, Newborn
Mass Screening
Netherlands
Pregnancy
Prenatal Diagnosis
Registries
Risk Factors
Survival Rate
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.442
TNO identifier
236771
ISSN
0197-3851
Source
Prenatal Diagnosis, 22 (11), 966-972
Document type
article