Analysis of selected perinatological indicators in the Slovak Republic in the years 2007-2018.

OBJECTIVE Analysis of perinatal mortality in the Slovak Republic during the years 2007-2018. METHODS Analysis of prospectively collected selected perinatal data in the years 2007-2018. RESULTS In the year 2007, there were 63 obstetrics units, 51,146 deliveries and that of live births 51,650 in the Slovak Republic. The number of obstetrics units decreased to 51 in the years 2018, the total number of deliveries increased to 57,085 and that of live births increased to 57,773. The total fertility rate in the years 2007-2018 increased from 1.27 to 1.54. The preterm deliveries rate increased from 7.3% in the year 2007 to 8.5% in the year 2010 and decreased to 7% in the year 2018. The perinatal mortality rate decreased from 6.2 in the year 2007 to 4.4 in the year 2017, increased again in the years 2018 to 5.0 and according to the criteria of WHO (World Health Organization) to 6.6 per 1,000 still- and live-births. During the years 2007-2018 at perinatal mortality stillbirth participate with 65%, low birth weight with 63% and severe congenital anomalies with 19%. Transport in utero to perinatological centers in the years 2007-2018 has decreased from 57 to 56% for infants 1,000-1,499 g and from 75 to 73% for infants below 1,000 g. CONCLUSION In the year 2017, perinatology in the Slovak Republic reached the best result in the perinatal mortality rate - 4.4 (0.44%), but has increased to over 5 next year. To further reduce perinatal mortality in the Slovak Republic, it is necessary to improve the prenatal dia-gnosis of severe congenital abnormalities, transport in utero of very low birth weight fetuses, centralization of high-risk pregnancies, obstetric personnel and material-technical equipment of obstetricians and neonatal intensive care units.