Perinatal mortality audit: North Macedonia 2020
Overview
Many stillbirths and neonatal deaths can be prevented through evidence-based and timely interventions.
To ensure high-quality care for mothers and their infants during pregnancy, childbirth and the neonatal period, the Ministry of Health of North Macedonia established the National Working Group for Neonatal Mortality Audit. With support from WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund, this group conducted the first perinatal mortality audit in the country for the year 2019, followed by a second one (with WHO support) for the year 2020.
The perinatal mortality audit report 2020 provides insights and evidence-based action points to help identify system errors and barriers, and to reinforce strengths. By counting the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths, gathering information on where and why these deaths occurred, and understanding the underlying contributory causes and avoidable factors, health care providers, programme managers, administrators and policy-makers can prevent future deaths and improve quality of care.
The aim is to provide potential actions towards improving care for mothers and their infants during pregnancy, childbirth and the neonatal period, as part of wider efforts to improve the quality of care provided throughout the health system.
