Infant deaths reached 1,437 in 2022

Infant deaths are deaths that occurred before reaching age 1. In Bicol Region, 1,437 infant deaths were registered in 2022. This is about 16.8% increase from the 1,230 registered infant deaths in 2021. More than half of the total registered infant deaths (56.1% or 806 deaths) were males and about two out of five deaths were females (43.9% or 631).

In Bicol region, Camarines Sur recorded the most number of registered infant deaths by usual residence with about 37.4% or 538 deaths. This was followed by Albay with 294 (20.5%), Masbate 
with 209(14.5%), Camarines Norte with 184 (12.8%), and Sorsogon with 172 (12.0%), respectively. Catanduanes had the least number of registered infant deaths with 40 or about 2.78%. (Figure 1)

Respiratory distress of newborn was the leading cause of infant deaths in Bicol Region with 210 or about 14.6% registered deaths in 2022. Pneumonia, organism unspecified came in as the 
second leading cause of death with 126 or 8.8%. Congenital pneumonia ranked third with 111 or 7.7%, fourth in the list was Bacterial sepsis of newborn with 107 or 8.7% registered infant deaths. Other causes that significantly attributed to infant deaths in Bicol Region were Other gastroenteritis and colitis of infectious and unspecified origin (82 or 5.7%), Neonatal aspiration syndromes (66 or 4.6%), Other congenital malformations of heart (65 or 4.5%), Birth asphyxia (50 or 3.5%), Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified (32 or 2.2%), and Other sepsis with 30 or 2.1% registered infant deaths.

Most infant deaths occur in November

In 2022, most infant deaths by usual residence in Bicol Region occurred in November with 136 or 9.5% registered infant deaths. This was closely followed by the months of August (135 or 9.4%) 
and September (130 or 9.0%). The month of February registered the least number of infant deaths with 86 or 6.0%. (Figure 2)

One out of ten infant deaths under 1 day

Among the infant deaths registered in 2022, 170 or 11.8% died before reaching 1 day, and 444 survived only within the first seven days of life which translates to 30.9% neonatal deaths. Over 
the same period, there were 146 deaths among liveborn infants within the first 28 days of life or about 10.2% late neonatal deaths. A total of 1,437 newborns were not able to make it to their first birthday in 2022. (Figure 3)

Bicol Region ranks fifth in maternal deaths in 2022

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 2,008 registered maternal deaths in the country in 2,022. Bicol Region registered 153 (7.6%) maternal deaths which ranks fifth highest among the regions in the country.

Figure 5 shows the highest proportion of recorded maternal deaths in Bicol Region were at the age group of 30-34 years with 20.9% or 32 registered maternal deaths while the lowest proportions were at the age group of 45-49 with 4.6% or 7 registered maternal death in 2022.

Eclampsia led maternal cause of death in 2022

In 2022, the leading cause of maternal deaths in Bicol Region was Eclampsia with 29 registered maternal deaths or about 19.0%. Other maternal diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating 
pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium were the second leading cause of maternal deaths with 24 or 15.7%. Pre-eclampsia was listed as the third leading cause of maternal deaths with 22 or 
14.4% registered deaths. Other causes that significantly attributed to maternal deaths in Bicol Region were Complications of the puerperium, not elsewhere classified (15 or 9.8%), Abnormalities of forces of labour (8 or 5.2%), Placenta praevia (4 or 2.6%), Maternal infectious and parasitic diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (4 or 2.6%), Spontaneous abortion and Pre-existing hypertension complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium all recorded 3 or about 2.0% registered maternal deaths.

Fetal deaths recorded at 672 in 2022

Fetal death refers to the spontaneous intrauterine death of a fetus at any time during pregnancy. Fetal deaths later in pregnancy are also sometimes referred to as stillbirths. A stillbirth happens when the fetus dies after week 20 of pregnancy. In 2022, Bicol Region registered a total of 672 fetal deaths by usual residence of the mother. The most number of registered fetal deaths was recorded in Camarines Sur with 257 fetal deaths or about 38.2% share to the region’s total. The least number of recorded fetal deaths was noted in Sorsogon with 27 or 4.0%. 

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.

Fetal Death refers to the spontaneous intrauterine death of a fetus at any time during pregnancy.