Stillbirth Registration in Berlin - Insights from a Multicentre Online Register.

Abstract

Introduction In Germany, a stillbirth is defined as a birth without signs of life from the 24th week of pregnancy onwards or with a birth weight of ≥ 500 g. Stillbirths must be recorded at the registry office by means of a death certificate. It is often difficult to classify the specific cause in such cases. Methods In this retrospective, register-based observational study, the new online database GeMoRe is compared with all stillbirths reported to the Central Archive for Post-mortem Certificates in Berlin in 2024. The cases were then classified using the WHO-ICD-PM system to assess the accuracy (quality) and completeness (quantity) of the cases. Results GeMoRe recorded 128 stillbirths and the Central Archive for Death Certificates recorded 123 stillbirths; however, only 47 cases were found in both datasets. 18.8% of stillbirths recorded in the GeMoRe online register were attributed to a non-specific cause according to ICD-PM, compared with 70.7% of cases recorded via death certificates. Discussion The current method of recording death certificates often provides too few details for an ICD-PM classification in accordance with WHO recommendations. Furthermore, the number of stillbirths recorded in death certificates in Berlin may be underreported. A digital, Germany-wide register is required to enable high-quality data collection and to strengthen preventive measures.