Lack of Change in Perinatal Mortality in the United States, 2014-2016.

Perinatal mortality (late fetal death at 28 weeks or more and early neonatal death under age 7 days) can be an indicator of the quality of health care before, during, and after delivery (1,2). The U.S. perinatal mortality rate based on the date of the last normal menses (LMP) declined 30% from 1990-2011, but was stable from 2011-2013 (1,3). In 2014, National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) transitioned to the use of the obstetric estimate of gestational age (OE), introducing a discontinuity in perinatal measures for earlier years (4,5). This report presents trends in perinatal mortality, as well as its components, late fetal and early neonatal mortality, for 2014-2016. Also shown are perinatal mortality trends by mother's age, race and Hispanic origin, and state for 2014-2016 and state perinatal rates for 2016. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.