9.1. Newborns and perinatal health.

More than five million babies are born yearly in the European Union. Of these, an estimated 25 000 are stillborn and an additional 25 000 die within their first year (EUROSTAT Database); Among the survivors, an additional 40 000 (approximately 8 per 1 000 survivors) experience severe impairments, many of perinatal origin (Cans et al, 2003). Maternal deaths occur less frequently - only 5 to 15 per 100 000 live births – but are associated with substandard care in nearly half of the cases (see chapter 9.3.2).

This burden of death and illness is not distributed throughout Europe: poverty and low social status are associated with complications of the perinatal period, including pre-term birth, low birth weight and perinatal death. Nevertheless, Europe faces common and pressing challenges in perinatal health, namely: to maximise safety for mothers and babies, improve the efficacy of medical technology and interventions, reduce social inequalities in health and access to care, and use limited health care resources effectively. Approaches to perinatal healthcare differ greatly throughout Europe. Sharing knowledge about this diversity is essential and provides an evidence base for assessing the efficacy of technology and medical practices and improving the quality of care.