European indicators of health care during pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period.
OBJECTIVE
To describe variation across Europe in PERISTAT indicators of health care in the perinatal period, and to assess the comparability of these indicators.


METHODS
The PERISTAT feasibility study provides the source for this descriptive study, covering 15 European countries. Comparative analysis includes descriptions of births following management of sub-fertility, timing of first antenatal visit, onset of labour, mode of delivery, place of birth, preterm births in units without NICU, and breast-feeding uptake.


RESULTS
There is broad variation in the availability to provide data on perinatal indicators, and in perinatal health care across the European Union.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper describes the challenge of identifying indicators that are meaningful and robust for the full distribution of health care systems represented in the European Union. Further work is needed to ensure that the implementation of each indicator is comparable across member states.
Wildman
Katherine
K
INSERM Unité 149, Epidiomiological Research Unit on Perinatal and Women's Health, 123 Boulevard Port-Royal, 75014 Paris, France. wildman@cochin.inserm.fr
Blondel
Béatrice
B
Nijhuis
Jan
J
Defoort
Paul
P
Bakoula
Chryssa
C
D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D018743:Perinatal Care; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care