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Table 8 Perinatal mortality rates and rate ratios by gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW) among selected high-income countries, 1995–2005 and 2005

From: Differences in perinatal and infant mortality in high-income countries: artifacts of birth registration or evidence of true differences?

Gestational age/Birth weight

1995–2005

2005

Rate ( 95 % CI)

Rate Ratio ( 95 % CI)

Rate ( 95 % CI)

Rate Ratio ( 95 % CI)

GA (weeks)

≥22

Canada

8.0 (7.9–8.1)

1.26 (1.24–1.28)

8.1 (7.7–8.5)

1.52 (1.45–1.60)

USA

9.5 (9.4–9.5)

1.50 (1.50–1.50)

9.0 (8.9–9.1)

1.68 (1.67–1.70)

Denmarka

7.7 (7.5–7.9)

1.23 (1.19–1.26)

8.1 (7.4–8.8)

1.51 (1.38–1.64)

Finland

6.3 (6.1–6.5)

1.00

5.3 (4.8–6.0)

1.00

Iceland

6.3 (5.6–7.1)

1.01 (0.89–1.13)

6.3 (4.1–9.1)

1.17 (0.77–1.71)

Norway

7.4 (7.2–7.6)

1.17 (1.14–1.21)

5.6 (5.0–6.2)

1.05 (0.94–1.17)

Swedena

5.7 (5.5–5.8)

0.90 (0.88–0.92)

4.4 (4.0–4.8)

0.82 (0.75–0.90)

≥28

Canada

4.8 (4.7–4.9)

0.92 (0.90–0.94)

4.5 (4.2–4.8)

1.02 (0.95–1.08)

USA

5.6 (5.6–5.6)

1.07 (1.07–1.08)

5.2 (5.1–5.2)

1.16 (1.14–1.17)

Denmark

6.6 (6.5–6.8)

1.27 (1.23–1.30)

5.7 (5.1–6.3)

1.27 (1.15–1.41)

Finland

5.2 (5.1–5.4)

1.00

4.5 (3.9–5.0)

1.00

Iceland

3.8 (3.3–4.4)

0.73 (0.62–0.84)

1.9 (0.8–3.7)

0.42 (0.18–0.83)

Norway

5.0 (4.9–5.2)

0.96 (0.93–1.00)

3.7 (3.2–4.2)

0.83 (0.72–0.95)

Sweden

5.0 (4.9–5.1)

0.96 (0.93–0.98)

3.9 (3.5–4.3)

0.88 (0.79–0.97)

BW (grams)

≥500

Canada

7.4 (7.3–7.5)

1.31 (1.29–1.33)

7.2 (6.8–7.5)

1.51 (1.44–1.59)

USA

8.3 (8.3–8.4)

1.48 (1.48–1.49)

7.8 (7.7–7.9)

1.65 (1.63–1.67)

Denmark

7.5 (7.3–7.7)

1.33 (1.30–1.37)

7.4 (6.8–8.1)

1.57 (1.43–1.72)

Finland

5.6 (5.4–5.8)

1.00

4.7 (4.2–5.3)

1.00

Iceland

5.8 (5.1–6.5)

1.03 (0.91–1.16)

4.6 (2.8–7.2)

0.98 (0.60–1.52)

Norway

6.4 (6.2–6.6)

1.14 (1.10–1.17)

4.8 (4.3–5.4)

1.01 (0.90–1.14)

Sweden

5.6 (5.5–5.7)

0.99 (0.97–1.02)

4.3 (3.9–4.7)

0.90 (0.82–0.99)

≥1000

Canada

4.9 (4.8–4.9)

1.22 (1.19–1.24)

4.3 (4.0–4.6)

1.24 (1.16–1.33)

USA

5.6 (5.6–5.6)

1.40 (1.39–1.40)

5.2 (5.2–5.3)

1.51 (1.49–1.53)

Denmark

6.4 (6.2–6.5)

1.59 (1.55–1.64)

5.7 (5.2–6.4)

1.66 (1.49–1.83)

Finland

4.0 (3.8–4.1)

1.00

3.5 (3.0–4.0)

1.00

Iceland

3.4 (2.9–4.0)

0.86 (0.73–1.01)

1.9 (0.8–3.7)

0.54 (0.23–1.06)

Norway

4.6 (4.5–4.8)

1.16 (1.12–1.20)

3.6 (3.1–4.2)

1.04 (0.91–1.20)

Sweden

4.8 (4.7–5.0)

1.22 (1.18–1.25)

3.7 (3.4–4.1)

1.08 (0.97–1.20)

All births

Canada

9.6 (9.4–9.7)

1.51 (1.49–1.53)

10.1 (9.7–10.6)

1.89 (1.81–1.97)

USA

11.3 (11.3–11.4)

1.79 (1.78–1.79)

10.9 (10.8–11.0)

2.03 (2.01–2.05)

Denmark

7.8 (7.6–8.0)

1.23 (1.20–1.26)

8.1 (7.5–8.9)

1.52 (1.39–1.65)

Finland

6.3 (6.1–6.5)

1.00

5.4 (4.8–6.0)

1.00

Iceland

6.4 (5.7–7.2)

1.01 (0.90–1.13)

6.3 (4.1–9.1)

1.17 (0.77–1.70)

Norway

11.5 (11.3–11.8)

1.82 (1.78–1.86)

9.9 (9.1–10.8)

1.85 (1.70–2.01)

Sweden

5.7 (5.6–5.9)

0.90 (0.88–0.93)

4.4 (4.0–4.8)

0.81 (0.74–0.89)

  1. Rates are expressed per 1,000 total births. Numerator = Stillbirths + Neonatal deaths
  2. aDenmark and Sweden did not report on stillbirths less than 28 weeks until 2004 and 2008 respectively
  3. Finland was used as the reference category for calculation of rate ratios
  4. Only births with gestational age <22 weeks excluded from the rate calculation for births ≥22 weeks i.e., births with unknown gestational age included in the calculations. Calculations of rates for births ≥28 weeks and birth weight ≥500 g and ≥1000 g were carried out in a similar manner
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