The purpose of the Fetal and Infant Deaths publication series is to inform discussion and assist future policy development. Readership of this publication is wide-ranging, and its contents reflect this, aiming to meet the needs of all interested parties.
The Fetal and Infant Deaths series presents data on deaths that occurred before one completed year of life. This particular publication focuses on deaths that were registered in the 2008 and 2009 calendar years.
Key Results
Overview
- In 2009 there were 482 fetal deaths registered compared to 555 in 2008. This equates to rates of 7.6 deaths per 1000 total births in 2009 and 8.4 in 2008.
- The fetal death rate remained relatively stable between 1996 and 2009.
- There were 324 infant deaths in 2008 compared to 332 in 2009. This equates to rates of 5.0 and 5.2 deaths per 1000 live births.
- There has been a 27.7% decrease in the infant death rate since 1996.