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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

Indicator notes

Number of early neonatal deaths
Indicator code: E075102.T

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

Early neonatal deaths refer to the deaths of newborns within the first seven days of life. This critical health indicator helps us gauge the effectiveness of maternal and neonatal healthcare services across different regions. By monitoring these figures, health organizations can identify areas needing urgent healthcare improvements and develop strategies to enhance survival rates of newborns. This data not only reflects on the immediate healthcare services but also on the prenatal care and the health environment that mothers are exposed to during pregnancy.

Calculating Early Neonatal Deaths

The number of early neonatal deaths is calculated by recording all deaths of newborns that occur within the first week of life. Health facilities play a crucial role in capturing this data accurately, ensuring that every neonatal death is reported and documented. This data is then used to calculate the early neonatal mortality rate, which is the number of early neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births. Accurate data collection is essential for providing a clear picture of health outcomes and for guiding policy decisions aimed at reducing these deaths.

The Significance of Tracking Early Neonatal Deaths

Tracking the number of early neonatal deaths is vital for assessing the health status of a population and the effectiveness of maternal and child health interventions. High rates of neonatal deaths may indicate problems in healthcare delivery or socioeconomic factors that need to be addressed. This data helps health policymakers to prioritize resources, improve healthcare practices, and implement targeted interventions aimed at reducing neonatal mortality. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights for non-governmental organizations and international health bodies focusing on child health and survival.

Strengths and Limitations of Early Neonatal Death Data

While the data on early neonatal deaths is crucial for health monitoring and planning, it comes with its own set of strengths and limitations.

Strengths

The primary strength of this data lies in its ability to provide real-time insights into the outcomes of childbirth and neonatal care. It enables health authorities to quickly identify and respond to trends in neonatal mortality, potentially saving lives by addressing healthcare deficiencies promptly. Additionally, consistent tracking of this data over time allows for the evaluation of long-term health interventions and their effectiveness in improving neonatal survival rates.

Limitations

However, the reliability of early neonatal death data can be compromised by factors such as underreporting and discrepancies in data collection methods. In regions with less developed healthcare infrastructures, many neonatal deaths may go unrecorded, particularly those occurring outside of health facilities. Moreover, cultural factors and stigma can also lead to underreporting of neonatal deaths. Another limitation is the variability in the definition and recognition of what constitutes an early neonatal death, which can differ between regions and affect the comparability of data.

Despite these challenges, the tracking of early neonatal deaths remains a fundamental practice in understanding and improving newborn health globally. By acknowledging and addressing the limitations in data collection and reporting, health organizations can enhance the accuracy of health indicators and better serve populations in need.