Fetal Death

In Oregon, vital statistic data is collected on fetal deaths that occur to fetuses whose birth weight is at least 350 grams (0.77 pounds) or, if birth weight is unknown, after 20 weeks gestation, in which the developing fetus dies either in utero or upon delivery. The definition of fetal death by birth weight and gestation vary from state to state (generally 350 to 500 grams / 0.77 - 1.1 pounds and 20 to 24 weeks). The local Case Review Team (CRT) reviews deaths of fetuses whose birth weight is > 500 grams (1.1 pounds) and of at least 20 weeks gestation.

Fetal Mortality Rate

Fetal mortality is the rate of fetal deaths per 1,000 live births.

Fetal-Infant Mortality Rate

Fetal-infant mortality is the rate of fetal and infant deaths per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths.

Fetal-Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)

FIMR involves a multi-disciplinary review team (Health, Social Service, Medical Examiner) which reviews information from individual cases of fetal and infant deaths in order to

• Identify factors associated with those deaths
• Determine if those factors represent community-wide service system problems that require change
• If so, develop recommendations for change
• Assist in the implementation of change

This process includes de-identified information obtained via medical and social information, including a maternal interview.

High-Risk Pregnancy

High–risk pregnancies includes those pregnancies in women with high-risk conditions which need to be managed prior to and during their pregnancy in order to achieve the best outcome possible. High-risk conditions include:

• Medical problems such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, lupus, heart disease, kidney disease, or a clotting disorder

• A history of prior pregnancy complications such as preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, recurrent pregnancy loss, birth defects or fetal growth disturbance
• A current pregnancy conceived by infertility treatment
• A multiple pregnancy such as twins, triplets, or quadruplets

Infant Deaths

Infant deaths are those that occur during the child’s first year (i.e., measured from birth through 364 days). Infant deaths include both neonatal and post-neonatal deaths. Neonatal deaths occur during the first 27 days of life. Post-neonatal deaths occur from day 28 through day 364 after birth.

Infant Mortality

Infant mortality is the rate of infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

Interconception Care

Interconception care refers to interventions to maximize women’s health or pregnancy outcomes that occur between pregnancies (see Preconception Care).

Low Birth Weight (LBW)

Low birth weight is defined as equal to or greater than 1,500 grams but less than 2,500 grams (3 1/3 pounds to 5 1/2 pounds). Sometimes referred to as “higher” low birthweight.

Medical Home

A medical home is an approach to providing comprehensive and coordinated medical care. It involves primary care that is accessible, continuous, family centered, compassionate, and culturally effective to assure that all of the medical and non-medical needs which affect the overall health of the child/youth and family are met.

Mortality Rates

Mortality rates are used because numbers of deaths cannot be easily compared, since populations are not the same. Raw numbers are converted into mortality rates by dividing by the size of the corresponding population (i.e., infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths divided by 1,000 live births)

Neonatal

The neonatal period is from birth through twenty-seven days of life.

Obstetrical care

Obstetrical care is medical care of a woman during her pregnancy, childbirth and the period shortly after birth. 

Perinatal

The perinatal period refers to the period immediately before and after birth. The perinatal period is defined in diverse ways. Depending on the definition, it starts at the 20th to 28th week of gestation and ends 1 to 4 weeks after birth.  However, in some instances it can include the period beginning at conception through the infant’s first year of life.

Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR)

The PPOR process is a standardized approach that can be used by communities to engage community partners, map fetal-infant deaths, focus on reducing the overall fetal-infant death rate, examine potential opportunity gaps, target further investigations and prevention efforts, and to mobilize for sustainable change.  PPOR utilizes fetal death data and linked infant birth and death data to identify groups and periods of risk with the most deaths. PPOR mapping is based on birth weight and gestation at birth. Fetal and infant deaths that are > 500 grams and > 24 weeks at delivery are used for the PPOR analysis.

Post-neonatal

The post-neonatal period is from twenty-eight to 364 days of life.

Preconception Care

Preconception care refers to interventions that aim to identify and modify biomedical, behavioral and social risks to a women’s health or pregnancy outcome through prevention and management, emphasizing those factors which must be acted on before conception to have maximal impact.  It includes care between pregnancies (commonly known as Interconception Care).  It also includes interventions directed at males, couples, families and society at large.

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)

PRAMS is a surveillance project of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments. PRAMS collects state-specific, population-based data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and shortly after pregnancy.

Prenatal Care

Prenatal care is the medical, social, psychological and nutritional care throughout pregnancy. This is typically done during routine office visits and includes physical exams and routine lab tests.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant younger than one year of age, that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation.  SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion; a diagnosis that should be given only after all other possible causes of sudden, unexpected death have been ruled out through a careful case investigation, which includes a thorough examination of the death scene, a complete autopsy, and a review of the infant’s medical history.

Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID)

SUID is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant due to natural or unnatural causes. SIDS is one of several causes of sudden, unexpected infant death. In addition to SIDS, other examples of causes of SUID include suffocation, drowning, hyperthermia, hypothermia, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Very Low Birthweight 

Very low birth weight is a weight at birth of less than 1,500 grams (less than 3 1/3 pounds).