368 children under one year old died in 2020
The figures on stillbirths and deaths in children under one year old decreased by 14% in 2020 compared to 2019.
The total number of those deaths for the year 2020 is 862: 368 children under one year old and 494 stillbirths.
In 2019, this figure was still 1,002.
In 2020, 368 deaths of children under one year old were recorded; this is 58 fewer deaths than in 2019. The figure for 2020 is also 34.3% lower than in 2000. Even taking into account the evolution in the number of births, we see this decrease.
The infant mortality rate amounts to 3.2 per mille in 2020 compared to 4.8‰ in 2000.
In the Brussels Capital Region, 71 children under one year old died (4.5‰), in the Flemish Region 201 children (3.2‰) and in the Walloon Region 96 children (2.7‰).
Decrease in the number of stillborn babies
In 2020, 494 children were stillborn. That is 82 fewer than in 2019, bringing us back to a similar level as in 2000, when there were 488 stillbirths. The number of stillbirths fell in all regions. In Wallonia, the decrease in stillbirths compared to 2019 was the most significant (-42 deaths, or -20.5%), but Flanders (-27 deaths, or -10.2%) and the Brussels Capital Region (-13 deaths, or -12.4%) also saw a significant decrease.
Taking into account the number of births, the stillbirth rate remains the highest in the Brussels-Capital Region (5.7 stillbirths per 1,000 births), followed by Wallonia (4.6‰) and Flanders (3.8‰). On a national level the stillbirth rate amounts to 4,3 ‰.
Definitions
The infant mortality rate is the ratio between the number of deaths of children under one year old during one year and the number of live births of that same year (in per mille).
The stillbirth rate is the ratio between the number of stillbirths during one year and the total of births (including stillbirths) of that same year (in per mille).
Stillborn babies are the children dead at birth whose birth weight was equal or above 500 grams or, if the birth weight is unknown, with a gestational age of at least 22 weeks. Stillborn babies whose birth weight and gestational age are unknown are also taken into account.
| Age of death | BELGIUM | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 195 | 173 | 368 |
| Less than 1 day | 46 | 49 | 95 |
| 1 day | 23 | 14 | 37 |
| 2 days | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| 3 days | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| 4 days | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 5 days | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| 6 days | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 to 27 days | 35 | 29 | 64 |
| 28 to 364 days | 61 | 57 | 118 |
| Average age (in days) | 39,5 | 45,6 | 42,4 |
| Source: Statbel (Directorate-General Statistics- Statistics Belgium) | |||
Purpose and brief description
The feto-infant mortality statistics are compiled on the basis of the declaration form of the death of a child under one year of age or of a stillborn child. Since 2010, the National Register has also been used to more accurately determine the relevant official life events and to check the main information. These statistics break down deaths into those before the age of one year old and infants who were stillborn, per gender, by administrative units of the country, by the main characteristics of the mother (age, civil status, state of union, level of education, professional status, nationality) and by certain characteristics of the delivery and of the newborns (location, way of giving birth, twin birth, weight, duration of the pregnancy, congenital defect). They also produce various indicators of feto-infant mortality and a breakdown of feto-infant deaths according to the age of death.
Data collection method
The feto-infant mortality statistics are compiled on the basis of two sources: the National Register of Natural Persons (NRPP) and the statistical declaration forms for a child under one year old or stillborn (Model IIID). These forms are an important source on infant mortality and provide a lot of information, especially health data. They also provide information about the circumstances of birth and about the parents of the deceased children. They are the only source of information on stillbirths or late fetal deaths. The information provided by the NR is less extensive, concerns only infant mortality, but is available more quickly; it contains the death of all children residing in Belgium (and therefore registered in the NR), regardless of whether the death took place in Belgium or abroad. Until 2009, these two sources were consolidated in relation to each other, but in the sense that the declaration forms served as a reference, with the NR being used mainly to provide the data that were missing or not requested on the declaration forms. Therefore, only the deaths (that took place in Belgium and were therefore) reported to the Belgian Registry Office were taken into account when compiling the infant mortality statistics, i.e. those for which the stated place of residence was a Belgian municipality. Since 2010, the statistics have been produced with the NR as reference. Henceforth, only the death of a child included in the NR will be taken into account. By using the NR, the death of a child abroad can be included in the statistics. It also makes it possible to acknowledge the death of children registered in the waiting register for refugees and asylum seekers.
Population
All feto-infant deaths
Frequency
Annually.
Release calendar
Results available 1 year after the reference period
Definitions
Deceased infant: death before the first birthday of a live-born child.
Stillborn child: child who, at the time of birth, does not show any sign of life (such as breathing, heartbeat, pulsating of the umbilical cord, effective contraction of a muscle) and weighs at least 500 grams or, if the weight is unknown, had a gestational age of at least 22 weeks. Below this limit, we are talking about a premature fetal death that is not officially declared.
Twin birth: Total number of births, including stillbirths, due to pregnancy
Place of the child: Place of the child in the totality of living births to the mother
Duration of the pregnancy: Duration of the pregnancy (in weeks) at the time of birth
Way of giving birth: Type of assistance during birth
Congenital defects: Presence of one or more congenital defects
Weight: Weight (in grams) of the child at birth
Apgar after 1 minute: Apgar score after 1 minute
Apgar after 5 minutes: Apgar score after 5 minutes.
Region: the child’s region of legal residence. In the case of a stillbirth: the mother’s region of habitual residence at the time of birth.