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Data set notes

European Health for All database

Indicators: 565

Updated: 18 October 2024

Contact: Data and Digital Health Unit (DDH)

The following abbreviations are used in the indicator titles:

• SDR: age-standardized death rates (see HFA-DB user manual/Technical notes, page 13, for details)

• FTE: full-time equivalent

• PP: physical persons

• PPP$: purchasing power parities expressed in US $, an internationally comparable scale reflecting the relative domestic purchasing powers of currencies.

More information: http://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/databases/european-health-for-all-database-hfa-db

Child and Adolescent Health

The WHO Europe Child and Adolescent Health Database (CAHD) provides a set of statistics based on indicators related to the health and well-being of children and adolescents. The statistics were collated from a variety of databases as a joint effort between WHO program divisions and collaborating centres and partners. The database was constructed for the purpose of supporting the Child and Adolescent Health and Development Strategy (2015), providing the relevant information for monitoring progress on child and adolescent health indicators in the 53 member states of the WHO European Region.

Indicator notes

Early neonatal deaths per 1000 live births
Indicator code: E070102.T This indicator shares the definition with the parent indicator \"Number of early neonatal deaths\".

The numbers of deaths in infants before 7 days of age in a year._

Country/Area notes

Albania

INSTAT.

Armenia

Source of data: National Health Information Analytic Center, Ministry of Health of the Republic of
Armenia http://moh.am/?section=static_pages/index&id=625&subID=824,29
Data collected annually, reference period: 31 December.

Belgium

Source: Statistics Belgium (National Institute for Statistics).

Bosnia and Herzegovina

See indicator 075002. Source: Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina http://www.bhas.ba/
Federal Office of Statistics: http://www.fzs.ba/
Statistical Institute of Republic of Srpska: http:// www.rzs.rs.ba

Croatia

The number of deaths, 0-6 days, for 1998-2000 includes children whose mothers are residents of the
Republic of Croatia if they were not absent from Croatia longer than one year or those who were not
residents but have lived in Croatia one year or more. Source: Croatian Central Bureau of Statistics

Cyprus

Source: Causes of Death data, Health Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Health

Czechia

Source: Czech Statistical Office (CZSO).

Denmark

Source: the Medical Birth Registry, The Danish Health Data Authority
Early neonatal deaths are deaths occurring during the first seven days of life, I.e. at the age of 0
to 6 full days.
Method: In cases where birthweight is unknown a criteria of gestational age of 28 weeks (if known)
have been used.
Coverage: All live births are included.

Estonia

See indicator 999998[MR1]. Statistical Office of Estonia.

Finland

Source: 1970-1986 Vital Statistics Finland. From 1987 Medical Birth Register (MBR), THL (National
Institute for Health and Welfare).
Note: From 1987 the MBR data was updated to remove the cases which are born abroad and to include
foreigners not permanently living in Finland (excluded in the data from Vital Statistics Finland).

France

Source of data: Institut national de la statistique et des etudes economiques (INSEE)

Georgia

Source: National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia (NCDC) (http://www.ncdc.ge)

Germany

Source: Federal Statistical Office, Statistics on the causes of death, Fachserie 12, Reihe 4.
http://www.destastis.de or http://www.gbe-bund.de
Coverage: The Statistics on the causes of death includes all those who died in the reference period
excluding stillbirths, war deaths certified at a later date and coroner's declarations of death. It
is based on the death certificate, which is filled out by the doctor who records the death
(\Leichenschauschein\")

Iceland

Source: The Icelandic Birth Registration.

Ireland

Source: Central Statistics Office. Figures for the last year are by year of registration and are
provisional.

Israel

Source:Health Information Division, Ministry of Health.

Italy

Source: ISTAT, Causes of death register.

Kazakhstan

Break in time series: 2008, when live birth and stillbirth criteria, recommended by the World Health
Organization, were introduce in the country.

Kyrgyzstan

Sharp increase in 2004 in early-neonatal and infant mortality trends is associated with the
introduction of international live birth definition in Kyrgyzstan, thus increasing international
comparability of infant mortality data.
The increase in 2014 is related to the overall increase of number of births in respective year.

Latvia

Break in time series: Starting from 1991, the official data involves births with duration of
pregnancy of at least 22 weeks. The statistics until 1990 include only births with birth weight 1000
grams or more.

Lithuania

Source: Central Statistical Office.

Luxembourg

Source: Direction de la Sante Service des Statistiques.
Definition: all early neonatal deaths are included, even those of very low (less than 1000 g) and
unknown weight at birth.

Malta

Source: Department of Health Information and Research (National Mortality Register).

Montenegro

Source: Statistical Office of Montenegro.
Note: Data have been corrected for the years 2009 and 2011 because of the previous technical error
in calculations.

Netherlands

Source from 2004: The Netherlands Perinatal Registry (PRN). Includes the number of births after a
gestational age of 22 weeks or more.
The number of deaths, 0-6 days, is derived from the linkage of PRN-data and Population Register
(PR).
Break in series: until 2004 the source was Statistics Netherlands: Cause of death statistics.
Includes children born after a gestational age of 24 weeks or more.

North Macedonia

Source: State Statistical Office (SSO).

Poland

Source of data: Central Statistical Office.

Portugal

Source of data: National Statistical Institute Coverage: National

Republic of Moldova

This indicator is calculated by the formula: (number of children who died at the age of 0-6 days *
1000) / Number of live births.
Source of data: Medical certificate of perinatal death.
Coverage: Data are without Transnistria.

Serbia

Source of data: National Statistical Office.
Coverage: from 1998 onwards data do not cover Kosovo and Metohija Province that is under the interim
civilian and military administration of the UN.

Slovakia

Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic

Slovenia

Source of data: National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia (NIJZ)

Spain

Source: National Statistics Institute, extracted from ?Death Statistic according to Cause of Death?
http://www.ine.es/jaxi/menu.do?type=pcaxis&path=%2Ft15/p417&file=inebase&L=1

Sweden

Source of data: The National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW)
The Causes of Death Register (NBHW)
http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/english
http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/statistics/statisticaldatabase/causeofdeath

Switzerland

Source of data: FSO Federal Statistical Office, BEVNAT
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/infothek/erhebungen__quellen/blank/blank/bevnat/01.html
Coverage:

Türkiye

Source of data: Public Health Institution of Turkey, Ministry of Health of Turkey.

Turkmenistan

Source of data: Administrative medical statistics, form 19 ?Report on medical care for pregnant
women, women in labour and puerperant?, and form 14 ?Report on hospital?s activity?, ?Medical
certificate of perinatal death? 0106-2/y.

Ukraine

Source: Centre of Health Statistics, Ministry of Health.
Coverage: Includes only early neonatal deaths 500+ g. registered in institutions of Ministry of
Health.

Uzbekistan

Deaths of live births with body weight of 500-999 g have been registered in the past as well, but
they were not included in the perinatal statistics.

General notes

Understanding Early Neonatal Deaths per 1000 Live Births

Early neonatal deaths per 1000 live births is a critical health indicator that measures the number of deaths of newborns within the first seven days of life per 1000 live births in a given region or population. This metric is vital for assessing the quality of maternal and neonatal care and for understanding the broader health environment into which children are born. By tracking these figures, health professionals and policymakers can identify trends, allocate resources effectively, and implement targeted interventions to reduce neonatal mortality and improve overall child survival rates.

How to Calculate Early Neonatal Deaths per 1000 Live Births

The calculation of early neonatal deaths per 1000 live births involves a straightforward formula: the number of neonatal deaths within the first seven days of life is divided by the total number of live births during the same period, then multiplied by 1000. This formula provides a standardized rate that can be used to compare the neonatal mortality across different regions and time periods, offering insights into the effectiveness of healthcare systems and the impact of health policies aimed at improving neonatal care.

The Importance of Monitoring Early Neonatal Deaths

Monitoring early neonatal deaths per 1000 live births is crucial for evaluating health system performance and improving maternal and child health outcomes. This indicator not only reflects the immediate health status of a population but also serves as a proxy for the effectiveness of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal healthcare services. Governments and health organizations use this data to prioritize healthcare initiatives, develop programs to reduce preventable deaths, and ensure that every child has a healthy start in life. Additionally, this metric helps in mobilizing international support and funding aimed at reducing infant mortality rates globally.

Strengths and Limitations of the Early Neonatal Deaths Indicator

While the early neonatal deaths per 1000 live births indicator is a valuable tool for health monitoring, it comes with its own set of strengths and limitations.

Strengths

This indicator is universally recognized and widely used, allowing for consistent and comparative analysis across different geographical and temporal contexts. It is instrumental in highlighting areas in need of urgent healthcare improvements and in tracking progress towards global health targets such as those outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, it helps in mobilizing resources and fostering international cooperation in the fight against neonatal mortality.

Limitations

However, the reliability of this indicator heavily depends on the accuracy and completeness of birth and death registration systems. In regions where such systems are underdeveloped or data collection is inconsistent, the early neonatal mortality rates may be underestimated. Moreover, this indicator does not provide insights into the causes of death, which are crucial for developing effective health interventions. It also fails to capture the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors that might influence neonatal deaths, limiting its utility in addressing the root causes of neonatal mortality.

In conclusion, while the early neonatal deaths per 1000 live births indicator is a powerful tool for health assessment and planning, it must be used in conjunction with other data and within the context of a well-rounded public health strategy to be truly effective in saving lives and improving health outcomes for newborns.