Why Is This Important?

The fetal mortality rate is a critical measure of a population's health and is an important indicator of fetal and maternal health status and medical care, but it is often overlooked. Much of the public concern surrounding reproductive loss has focused on infant mortality, due in part to lesser knowledge of the incidence, etiology, and prevention strategies for fetal mortality.[https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-08.pdf ^1^]

Definition

The number of resident fetal deaths of 20 or more weeks gestation per 1,000 resident live births plus fetal deaths of 20 or more weeks of gestation in the same year. A fetal death is the spontaneous, intrauterine death of a fetus at any gestational age. These deaths are commonly referred to as stillbirths.

Data Sources

• Fetal Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health
  (https://www.nj.gov/health/vital/)
• Fetal Deaths and Natality public-use data, CDC WONDER On-line Database, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  (https://wonder.cdc.gov/)
• Birth Certificate Database and Fetal Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, NJDOH
  (https://www.nj.gov/health/vital/)

How the Measure is Calculated

How Are We Doing?

There are approximately 600-700 fetal deaths of 20 or more weeks gestation among New Jersey residents each year. The New Jersey fetal mortality rate (FMR) in 2021 was 6.2 fetal deaths per 1,000 live births plus fetal deaths. The rate among Black mothers is two to three times the rates among other racial/ethnic groups in New Jersey. The likelihood of a fetal death decreases with increased gestational age and the majority occur before the third trimester of pregnancy. Among fetal deaths with a known cause, the leading cause of death is complications of the placenta, umbilical cord, and membranes.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The fetal mortality rate for New Jersey is above that of the U.S. as a whole.

What Is Being Done?

The Division of [http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/ Family Health Services] in the New Jersey Department of Health administers programs to enhance the health, safety, and well-being of families and communities in New Jersey. Several programs are aimed at improving children's health, including reducing fetal mortality. The Department of Health has provided state funding to improve perinatal public health services and birth outcomes in communities. Fetal deaths are reviewed by the [https://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/maternalchild/mchepi/mortality-reviews/ Fetal Infant Mortality Review] Team and recommendations to reduce future deaths are made to public and private sources of care including hospitals, clinics, and health care professionals throughout the state. Efforts are continuing to increase public and provider awareness of needs for greater access to maternal preconception care, more awareness of risky preconception and post-conception behavior and for better general maternal health care.

Available Services

[https://www.njstillbirth.org/ Stillbirth: Can Happen to Any Pregnancy] is a fully dedicated stillbirth resource for New Jersey parents and healthcare providers centered on stillbirth awareness, education, and prevention. Information on programs that promote availability and use of prenatal care services and other support for pregnant women may be found at: [https://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/] or [https://www.nj.gov/njparentlink/health/before/]

More Resources

The NJSHAD [[a href="query/selection/infantfetal/InfFetSelection.html" Fetal Death Data Query]] allows users to create tables, graphs, and maps of New Jersey fetal deaths by maternal age, race/ethnicity, birthplace, marital status, education, parity, and substance use during pregnancy; sex, plurality, delivery weight, gestational age, prenatal care, method and place of delivery, cause of death, and county or municipality of residence.

Health Program Information

A '''fetal death''' is death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception; the fetus shows no signs of life such as breathing or beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. Fetal deaths are also referred to as stillbirths, miscarriages, or spontaneous abortions. New Jersey law requires the reporting of all fetal deaths of 20 or more weeks gestational age. An induced termination of pregnancy (ITOP) is a kind of fetal death, however in New Jersey health data reports, fetal death refers only to spontaneous fetal deaths.

Footnote References

1. Gregory ECW, Valenzuela CP, Hoyert DL. Fetal mortality: United States, 2021. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 72 no 8. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2023. [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-08.pdf]