Brazilian Birth Records with Severity Markers in Maternities with Neonatal ICU

Brazilian birth records from the Sistema de Informação sobre Nascidos Vivos (Live Birth Information System) used to analyze births with severity markers. The cross-sectional study uses birth weight and Apgar score at 5 minutes to establish severity and classifies maternities by neonatal intensive care unit availability. The dataset was authored by Maria de Fátima dos Santos Costa.

Use Cases

• Analyze regional disparities in neonatal intensive care access based on geographic frequency data mentioned in the description
• Study correlations between birth severity markers (low birth weight, Apgar score) and care facility type
• Support healthcare system reorganization by identifying areas with high severity births but lacking intensive care units

Strengths

• Based on a national information system (Sistema de Informação sobre Nascidos Vivos) covering Brazil
• Uses established clinical severity markers: birth weight and Apgar score at 5 minutes
• Provides specific findings: 55% of births and 38% of those with severity markers occurred in maternities without intensive care

Limitations

• The description notes problems in the register of important variables for defining severity criteria
• Row count, column-level documentation, and file formats are unknown
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified

Provenance

Source

Sistema de Informação sobre Nascidos Vivos (Live Birth Information System)

Collection Method

Cross-sectional study using birth records

Geography

Brazil, with specific mention of Southeast and South regions