RUSSIA'S TRENDS TOWARD A DECREASE IN PERINATAL LOSSES IN VIEW OF TRANSITION TO INTERNATIONAL BABY BIRTH REGISTRATION CRITERIA

Background. Russia’s transition in 2012 to the new rules of baby birth registration in accordance with the criteria recommended by the WHO is an indispensable step towards improving maternity and child health care. Objective. To assess perinatal loss trends in the obstetric hospitals of the Russian Federation in 2002 and 2012 and to reveal the 2012 indicator changes caused by the transition to the international birth registration system. Subject and methods. The 2002-2012 data available in all health care facilities subordinated to the Ministry of Health of Russia from 83 subjects of the Russian Federation were retrospectively analyzed. Statistical analysis involved descriptive and analytical statistical techniques. The authors analyzed the patterns of changes in the phenomena under study in time, by applying a simple linear regression model, as well as the components of time series. Results. The 2002-2012 perinatal and early neonatal mortality and stillbirth rates in the obstetric hospitals with consideration for babies with birth weights of 500 g or more showed a stable declining trend. 2012 was marked by a greater average annual decrement in perinatal loss rates among the babies with birth weights of 500 g or more and those with birth weights of 500-999 g and by an increment in these rates among the babies with birth weights of 1000-1499 g. Linear regression analysis could assess differences between officially registered and modeled perinatal loss rates. The Russian perinatal loss rates in 2012 became close to those in European countries to a greater extent. Conclusion. Russia’s transition in 2012 to the WHO registration of babies with birth weights of 500 g or more at 22 weeks’ gestation has primarily provided more insight and extended the possibilities of further international comparisons.

perinatal losses, perinatal mortality, early neonatal mortality, stillbirth rates, extremely low birth weight, World Health Organization, registration rules