title: Perinatal Health Statistics as the Basis for Perinatal Quality Assessment in Croatia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Perinatal mortality indicators are considered the most important measures of perinatal outcome. The indicators reliability depends on births and deaths reporting and recording. Many publications focus on perinatal deaths underreporting and misclassification, disabling proper international comparisons.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Description of perinatal health care quality assessment key indicators in Croatia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of reports from all maternities from 2001 to 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to reporting criteria for birth weight ≥500 g, perinatal mortality (PNM) was reduced by 31%, fetal mortality (FM) by 32%, and early neonatal mortality (ENM) by 29%. According to reporting criteria for ≥1000 g, PNM was reduced by 43%, FM by 36%, and ENM by 54%. PNM in ≥22 weeks' (wks) gestational age (GA) was reduced by 28%, FM by 30%, and ENM by 26%. The proportion of FM at 32-36 wks GA and at term was the highest between all GA subgroups, as opposed to ENM with the highest proportion in 22-27 wks GA. Through the period, the maternal mortality ratio varied from 2.4 to 14.3/100,000 live births. The process indicators have been increased in number by more than half since 2001, the caesarean deliveries from 11.9% in 2001 to 19.6% in 2014.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The comprehensive perinatal health monitoring represents the basis for the perinatal quality assessment.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, School of Public Health "A. Štampar", Croatian Institute of Public Health, Rockefellerova 4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Urelija
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rodin
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of Pediatrics, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Filipović-Grčić
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Petrova 13, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Đelmiš
authors.affiliation: General Hospital Zabok, Trg Dragutina Domjanića 6, 49210 Zabok, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Glivetić
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Petrova 13, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Juras
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of Pediatrics, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Željka
authors.initials: Ž
authors.lastname: Mustapić
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of Pediatrics, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ruža
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grizelj
mesh_terms: D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D046689:Fetal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D050498:Live Birth; D018743:Perinatal Care; D054238:Perinatal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care