Infant deaths reached 1,235 in 2021

Infant deaths are deaths that occurred before reaching age 1.  In Bicol Region,  1,235 infant deaths were registered  in 2021. This is about 21.7% increase from the 1,015 registered  infant deaths in 2020.  About  55.5%  or 686 deaths  were  males and about four  out of ten deaths were females (44.5% or 549).

Figure 1 shows that Camarines Sur recorded the most number of infant deaths with about 36.8% or 455 registered deaths while Catanduanes had the least number of infant deaths with about 4.9% or 60 registered deaths.
 

Respiratory distress of newborn led infant cause of death

In 2021, Respiratory distress of newborn was the leading cause of infant deaths in Bicol Region with 164 or about 13.3% registered deaths.  Bacterial sepsis of newborn came in as the second leading cause with  108 or 8. 7% deaths, followed by Pneumonia,  organism unspecified with  106 or 8.6% registered infant deaths. Other causes that significantly attributed to infant deaths in Bicol Region were Congenital pneumonia (93 or 7.5%),  Neonatal aspiration syndromes (73 or 5.9%}, Birth asphyxia (63 or 5.1%), Other gastroenteritis and colitis of infectious an unspecified origin (60 or4.9%),  Other congenital  malformations of heart (51  or 4.1%),  Other conditions originating in the perinatal period (26 or 2.1%), and Sudden infant death syndrome with 25 or 2.0% registered deaths.

Most infant deaths occur in July

In 2021, most infant deaths by usual residence in Bicol Region occurred in July with 143 or 11.6% registered infant deaths. The month of February registered the least number of infant deaths with 68 or 5.5%. (Figure 2)

One out of ten deaths under 1 day

Among the infant deaths registered in 2021, 156 or 12.6% died before reaching 1  day, and 529 survived only within the first seven days of life which translates to 42.8% neonatal deaths. Over the same period, there were 147 deaths among liveborn infants during the first 28 days of life or about 11.9% late neonatal deaths. A total of 1,235 newborns were not able to make it to their first birthday in 2021. (Figure 3)

Bicol Region ranks fifth in maternal deaths in 2021

Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy,  irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy,  from any cause related to or aggravated  by  the  pregnancy  or  its  management  but  not  from  accidental  or  incidental causes. There were 2,478 registered maternal  deaths in the country in  2021. Bicol Region registered 160 (6.5%) maternal deaths which ranks fifth highest among the regions in the country. (Figure 4)

Eclampsia led maternal cause of death in 2021

In  2021, the leading  cause of maternal deaths in  Bicol  Region was Eclampsia with  37 registered maternal deaths or about 23.1%. Maternal infectious and parasitic diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating  pregnancy,  childbirth and the puerperium  were the second leading  cause of maternal deaths with 23 or 14.4%.  Complications of the puerperium,  not elsewhere classified was listed as the third leading cause of maternal deaths with 17 or 10.6% registered deaths. Other causes that significantly attributed to maternal deaths in  Bicol Region were Pre-eclampsia (15 or 9.4%), Postpartum  haemorrhage (14  or  8.8%),  Other  maternal  diseases  classifiable  elsewhere  but complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (12 or 7.5%), Abnormalities of forces of labour (7  or 4.4%), and Obstetric embolism,  Ectopic pregnancy,  and Maternal care for other known or suspected fetal problems all recorded 5 or about 3.1 % registered maternal deaths.

Figure 5 shows the highest proportion of recorded maternal deaths in Bicol Region were at the age group  of 30-24 years with  23.8%  or 38 registered maternal  deaths while the lowest proportions were at the age under 15 and 45-49 with 0.6% or 1 registered maternal death in 2021.

DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS

Death refers to the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place (postnatal cessation of vital function without capability of resuscitation).

Maternal Death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

Infant Death is the death of young children under the age of 1.