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Release Date :
Reference Number :
2013-74

Explanatory Notes

Data presented in this release were obtained from the fetal death certificates (Municipal Form No. 103A) submitted by the City/Municipal Registrars from all over the country to the Office of the Civil Registrar General. Figures presented included only those fetal deaths which occurred in 2011 and were reported from January 2011 to March 2012.  Figures presented were not adjusted for under registration.

Fetal Deaths up by 1.0 percent

Total fetal deaths recorded in 2011 were 8,173, an increase of 78 or 1.0 percent from the 2011 figure of 8,095.

Nine regions reported increases in fetal mortalities. The highest increase was recorded in SOCCSKSARGEN with 30.0 percent, followed by Caraga Region with 22.8 percent and Bicol, 21.0 percent.

CALABARZON, National Capital Region (NCR), and Central Visayas were the regions with the highest number of fetal deaths from 2010 to 2011.  These three regions accounted for 49.3 percent of the total fetal deaths in 2011. However, NCR and Central Visayas records of fetal deaths decreased by 11.4 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively, while Calabarzon showed an increase of 5.8 percent of fetal deaths in 2011 compared with their 2010’s record.

On the other hand, Cordillera Administrative Region had the lowest number of fetal deaths with 1.3 percent followed by Caraga and Zamboanga Peninsula with 1.5 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively, as shown in Table 1.

 

 

Number of fetal deaths high in September

The highest number of fetal deaths in 2011 was reported in September at 825, same as last year. It recorded 825 fetal deaths with a daily average of 28 fetal deaths. Last year’s record was 786 with daily average of 26 fetal deaths. This showed an increase of 4.96 percent from 2010 record.

As in 2010, August still ranked as second in 2011 with a daily average of 25 fetal deaths and a daily index of 113.2 during the month.

The third highest recorded fetal deaths occurred in month of October with 744 total fetal deaths compared to 708 of 2010. It had 24 daily average fetal deaths with a daily index of 109.1.  

June, as being the month with the least occurrence of fetal deaths in 2010 with 603 occupied the sixth position in 2011’s record with 708 fetal deaths, a daily average of 24 and a daily index of 107.3.

 

 

Nine in every ten fetal deaths are medically attended

Medically attended fetal deaths’ that were attended either by physicians, nurses, and midwives were accounted for 9 out of every 10, numbering 7,373 in 2011. This showed an increase of 1.9 percent compared to 2010’s 7,235, while 797 (9.8%) fetal deaths were attended by nonmedical personnel. The ratio of medically attended fetal deaths to nonmedical attended fetal deaths was 9.25

The NCR had the highest number of medically attended fetal deaths, about one in every five (22.5%). On the other hand, ARMM had the least number of medically attended fetal deaths with 2.  

In general, eight out of ten fetal deaths reported were attended to by physicians (6,716 or 82.2%), while 794 or 9.7 percent were attended by traditional birth attendants (hilots).

 

 

Disorders related to short gestation and low birth was the most leading cause of fetal death



Disorders related to short gestation and low birth, not elsewhere classified was the main cause of fetal death with 4,503 cases or 55.1 percent of the total fetal death.

Intrauterine hypoxia was the second leading cause of death with 592 fetal mortalities or 7.2 percent. The third was other congenital malformations, not elsewhere classified which had 296 (3.6%) death cases.  These top three leading causes of fetal deaths were consistently the most risky causes of deaths among fetuses for three consecutive years (2009-2011).

 

 

Six out of ten fetal deaths occurred to non-married parents

Legitimate fetal deaths are born to couples who are legally married but illegitimate fetal deaths are born by parents who are not legally married.

A higher percentage of fetal deaths were born to non-married parents (54.5%), simply called illegitimate fetal deaths. Fetal deaths with illegitimate status accounted for the remaining 3,719 (45.5%).

Calabarzon registered the most number of fetal deaths (1,547 cases or 18.9 % of the total). Similarly, Calabarzon had the biggest portion of “legitimate” fetal deaths with 678 or 18.23 percent.  On the other hand, the NCR had the highest percentage of “illegitimate” fetal deaths with 1,036 or 23.3 percent.

 

 

 

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