Temporal trend in fetal mortality according to two death avoidability classifications.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the temporal trend of fetal mortality and its components, of avoidable and ill-defined causes according to two avoidability classifications in Recife, Pernambuco, 2010-2021.

METHOD

Ecological study of temporal trends of fetal mortality in Recife, 2010-2021. The Brazilian List of Avoidable Causes of Death for fetal deaths (LBE-OF) and Brazilian List of Avoidable Causes of Death for children under five years of age (LBE < 5) were used. The Joinpoint regression model was applied to analyze the temporal trends.

RESULTS

Trends in fetal mortality and its components were stationary. The group of avoidable causes presented higher mortality rates in both classifications, with an increasing trend according to the LBE-OF (Annual Percentage Change-APC: 2,1; p = 0,018) and stationary according to the LBE < 5. There was a decreasing trend in mortality from ill-defined causes only according to the LBE-OF (APC: -12,3; p < 0,001).

CONCLUSION

The results showed the stagnation of the temporal trend in fetal mortality, the avoidability of most deaths, and the potential of LBE-OF in monitoring the quality of information on the basic causes and avoidability of fetal deaths.