Figures

In the Netherlands it is recorded how many babies die each year. This is done first and foremost by the Central Bureau for Statistics, although Perined also concerns itself with the registration of perinatal mortality. The Perined report “Perinatal care in the Netherlands anno 2018” with the most recent figures published at the Perined congress on 27 November 2019 can be read here.

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In summary, for the Netherlands

Fetal mortality (= mortality before birth, for a pregnancy from 22 weeks) = 5 per 1000 births
That means 810 babies per year. 

Neonatal mortality (= mortality up to 28 days after birth, with a gestational age from 24 weeks): 2.9 per 1000 births
That means 468 babies per year. 

Perinatal mortality, according to Dutch standards (= mortality before, during or after birth up to 28 days, if the pregnancy lasts 22 weeks or more): 7.9 per 1000 births.
This means 1278 babies per year.

A terme mortality (= mortality before, during or up to 28 days after birth, for a pregnancy of more than 37 weeks) is 272 babies per year.

The State of Health and Care shows on its website the trends around perinatal mortality in the Netherlands.

The EURO-PERISTAT 2018 research report concludes that the Netherlands has an intermediate position compared to other European countries. In 2015, progress can be seen in reducing perinatal mortality in the Netherlands. This is attributed, among other things, to more intensive cooperation between the professional groups involved, such as general practitioners, obstetricians, gynaecologists, maternity nurses, paediatricians and anaesthesiologists (the entire ‘chain’). The performance of the perinatal audit, in which care providers analyse the care actually provided in a critical, structured manner, also plays an important role.  Finally, progress is devoted to the reduction of risk factors (e.g. smoking during pregnancy) as a focus for prevention work.

Perinatal mortality up to day 28 in 2015

Pregnancy Duration	Born	Live Births	Stillbirths	Neonatal mortality	Perinatal mortality up to 28 days
Total 22 wks or less	170958	170105	853	469	1323
22 to 28 weeks	1067	620	447	253	700
28 to 32 weeks	1193	1114	80	49	128
32 to 37 weeks	9875	9732	143	60	202
37 weeks or more	158823	158639	184	108	292

Source: CBS

Perinatal and infant mortality in 2015

Pregnancy Duration	Live Birth	Deceased 1st week	Neonatal Mortality	Sucker mortality
Total 22 wks or less	170105	343	469	598
22 to 28 weeks	620	202	253	282
28 to 32 weeks	1114	33	49	57
32 to 37 weeks	9732	43	60	78
37 weeks or more	158639	65	108	181

Source: CBS

Birth; Key figures

Stillborn Children	1950	1960	1970	1980	1990	2000	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
24 or more weeks						1253	648	620	594	510	487	500	493	482
28 or more weeks	4511	3618	2588	1205	1139	1000	490	486	438	401	376	382	388	356

Source: CBS