Urban perinatal health inequalities

Abstract

Objective. Large urban areas have higher perinatal mortality rates. In attaining a better understanding, we conducted an analysis on a neighborhood level in Rotterdam, the second largest city of The Netherlands.

Methods. Perinatal outcome of all single pregnancies (50,000) was analyzed for the period of 2000–2006. The prevalences of perinatal mortality and perinatal morbidity were determined for every neighborhood.

Results. Large perinatal health inequalities exist between neighborhoods in the city of Rotterdam with perinatal mortality rates as high as 37 per 1000 births. The highest risks were observed in deprived neighborhoods.

Conclusion. We observed high levels of perinatal health inequalities in the city of Rotterdam which have not been previously described in the Western world. Accumulation of medical risk factors as well as socioeconomic and urban risk factors seems to be a likely contributor.

Keywords:

• Perinatal health inequalities
• urban perinatal health
• perinatal mortality
• perinatal morbidity
• adverse perinatal outcomes

Acknowledgements

We thank the municipality of Rotterdam, in particular the Center for Research and Statistics (COS Rotterdam), for their cooperation.