Temporal trend in fetal mortality according to two death avoidability classifications.

Objective: To analyze the temporal trend of fetal mortality and its components, of avoidable and ill-defined causes according to two avoidability classifications in Recife, Pernambuco, 2010-2021.

Method: Ecological study of temporal trends of fetal mortality in Recife, 2010-2021. The Brazilian List of Avoidable Causes of Death for fetal deaths (LBE-OF) and Brazilian List of Avoidable Causes of Death for children under five years of age (LBE < 5) were used. The Joinpoint regression model was applied to analyze the temporal trends.

Results: Trends in fetal mortality and its components were stationary. The group of avoidable causes presented higher mortality rates in both classifications, with an increasing trend according to the LBE-OF (Annual Percentage Change-APC: 2,1; p = 0,018) and stationary according to the LBE < 5. There was a decreasing trend in mortality from ill-defined causes only according to the LBE-OF (APC: -12,3; p < 0,001).

Conclusion: The results showed the stagnation of the temporal trend in fetal mortality, the avoidability of most deaths, and the potential of LBE-OF in monitoring the quality of information on the basic causes and avoidability of fetal deaths.