Social inequalities in perinatal and infant mortality in the northern region of Belgium (the Flanders).
BACKGROUND
The study was intended to analyse the independent effect of some facets of the socio-economic status of both parents on perinatal, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality in the northern region of Belgium (the Flanders).


METHODS
Perinatal data collected by the Study Centre for Perinatal Epidemiology were linked with socio-economic data collected by the district council. Mothers aged > or =25 years are included in the study.


RESULTS
50796 births were analysed. 452 infants died either before birth or during the first year of life. 52% of the foeto-infantile mortality occurred before birth and 57% of the infant mortality in the first week of life. The educational level was strongly related to foetal (p<0.001) and, to a lesser degree, to early-neonatal mortality (p=0.001). Employment did not correlate with any mortality item. Except for foetal mortality, the strongest correlation was always observed for maternal rather than paternal social items. In a logistic regression model, foetal mortality, perinatal mortality and infantile mortality remained strongly correlated with the educational level of the mother. Infant mortality beyond the first week of life was not correlated with any aspect of the social status of the parents.


CONCLUSIONS
The educational level of the mother is the single most important determinant of infantile mortality in the Flanders representing the totality of hospital births by mothers aged > or =25 years in 1999 in the Flanders.


CONCLUSIONS



OBJECTIVE
Does education, profession and actual employment of both parents, independently operates discrimination in the outcome of pregnancy up to one year? Results: Maternal education is the only significant and independent determinant of foetal as well as neonatal and foeto-infantile mortality. Results: The status of the mother is by far more important than that of the father in determining the outcome of pregnancy.
Devlieger
Hugo
H
Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium.
Martens
Guy
G
Bekaert
Andries
A
D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012962:Sociology, Medical