Perinatal health monitoring through a European lens: eight lessons from the Euro-Peristat report on 2015 births

In November 2018, the Euro-Peristat collaboration published a new European Perinatal Health Report based on national-level indicators of mothers’ and babies’ health in 2015 in current EU member states and Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, a total of 31 countries with over five million births.1 Euro-Peristat’s indicator set includes ten core and 20 recommended indicators of fetal and newborn health, maternal health, characteristics of the childbearing population, and healthcare services.2 Indicators are compiled from population-based routine sources, such as civil registration systems, administrative or medical birth registers, audits, and surveys.3 A standardised protocol is used and integrates clinically relevant subgroups, notably gestational age and birthweight. Each country provides aggregate data for all births at ≥22 completed weeks of gestation, or ≥500 g birthweight if gestational age is missing. If this is not possible, other clearly specified national criteria are used. Euro-Peristat relies on the active involvement of national teams to compile, verify, and interpret the indicators.