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Fetal Death Rate
A fetal death (stillbirth) is defined as a death that occurs prior to
the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of
conception, with 20 weeks or more gestation and/or weighing 350 grams
or more; the death is indicated by the fact that after such expulsion
or extraction the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of
life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or
definite movement of voluntary muscles.
The Fetal Death Rate is calculated by dividing the number of fetal
deaths in a given year by the total number of live births plus fetal
deaths. In 2001, there were 291 reported fetal deaths in Arkansas and
36,982 live births. Thus, the Fetal Death Rate = (291 / (36,982 +
291)) X 1,000 = 7.8 fetal deaths per 1,000 live births plus fetal
deaths. This rate is higher than the 2000 rate of 7.0. The U.S. rate
in 2001 was 6.5 .
An examination of the map reveals that those ten counties with highest
fetal death rates are found scattered throughout the state, although 6
of them are in the southeastern part of the state. It should be noted
that the individual counties with the highest and lowest fetal death
rates are counties with very small numbers of events. It is
inappropriate to attach any significance to rates calculated on such
small numbers.
The Southeast Public Health Region had the highest five-year average
fetal death rate at 10.9. The Northwest region had the lowest average
rate of 6.4.
As with infant mortality, the fetal death rates differ by race. The
five-year average fetal death rate for Whites was 5.9, while for Blacks
it was 11.8.
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