Singapore in international comparisons of birthweight and perinatal mortality
Hughes, K.
Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore 14(4): 539-545
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0304-4602 PMID: 3841268 Document Number: 248247
The situation in Singapore with regard to birthweight disbribution and perinatal mortality has been compared with 6 other countries in the 1973 WHO study. Those countries are: Austria, Cuba, Hungary, Japan, New Zealand, and Sweden. Birthweight distribution and perinatal mortality reflect both the social and health conditions of a population and the standards of obstetric and pediatric care. By evaluating where a country ranks in an international comparison, it is then possible for that country to formulate an appropriate health policy. Singapore ranked well in the proportion of very low birthweight babies (less than 1500 grams), ranked 2nd for livebirths (0.5%) and total births (0.7%), but did not rank as well in proportion of low birthweight babies (less than 2500 grams). Furthermore, Singapore ranked 5th for both live births (8.8%) and total births (9.2%). In the category of perinatal mortality, Singapore, with a rate of 20.0/1000 total births, ranked 4th and then moved into 3rd place after standardizing for birthweight. There was in fact little difference between Singapore and the 1st ranked (Hungary) and 2nd place (Sweden) countries. Given that standardization for birthweight removes for the most part the socioeconomic and demographic factors and leaves those factors reflecting medical care, this indicates a relatively high standard of perinatal care in Singapore. This article also examines problems of interpretation, the implications of the findings, and suggestions for improving birth statistics in Singapore.