Abstract

MATIJASEVICH, Alicia et al. Improved estimates of preterm birth prevalence in Brazil, 2000-2011. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2013, vol.22, n.4, pp.557-564. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742013000400002.

OBJECTIVE: to estimate corrected preterm birth prevalence nationally, as well as in the country's macro-regions and states in 2000-2011. METHODS: we used the distribution of birth weight reported by the Live Births Information System (SINASC) and, in order to build correction curves, applied this distribution to preterm birth prevalence obtained in primary studies conducted in different regions of Brazil. Preterm birth prevalence was calculated separately for both sexes and for each 100g birth weight group, and then accumulated for the different geographical units. RESULTS: official prevalence of preterm births in Brazil was between 6% and 7% for the 2000-2011 period according to the SINASC system, while the corrected estimates showed values between 11% and 12%. In 2011, preterm birth prevalence was only 15% below the estimated. CONCLUSION: our study confirmed underestimated preterm birth on the SINASC system for the 2000-2011 period.

Keywords : Prevalence; Infant; Newborn; Infant; Premature; Population Estimates; Brazil.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )