Perinatal registry

The perinatal registers are located in the Perinatal Registry, within the Population and Digital Health of the Department of Health.

The Perinatal Registry is staffed by a Data Custodian (senior epidemiologist) with responsibility for processing data requests and a Business Analyst with responsibility for collating and validating the information.

Perinatal information

Perinatal episodes will include the birth of a child, a stillbirth (fetal death), and the diagnosis of a structural or functional abnormality in a child up to 12 months of age that was present from conception or that occurs before the end of pregnancy (congenital anomaly).

Reporting

Reporting of births is a well-entrenched practice for Northern Territory midwives as most births occur in hospital and are notified to the Perinatal Registry by the "principal person" responsible at the birth (generally a midwife). However, there may be occasions where a birth occurs outside a hospital setting and a midwife is not present.

Health practitioners are required to notify the Perinatal Registry if he/she is the "principal person" in these instances.

For the most part, congenital anomalies will be notified to the Perinatal Registry following birth. However, there may be occasions where an anomaly isn't identified at birth.

Medical practitioners are required to notify the Perinatal Registry if he/she diagnoses a congenital anomaly in a child aged up to 12 months.

Notifiable deaths

Notifiable deaths (related information) include the following:

  • live born babies and infants who died within 12 months of birth
  • women who died during pregnancy or were pregnant prior to their death.

Collection of this information by the Perinatal Registry will include information from death certificates.

Under the Public and Environmental Health Regulations, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) is required to notify the Perinatal Registry of all notifiable deaths. Consequently we don't anticipate instances where a child or maternal death is not reported to BDM. Health Practitioners may, however, be asked by registry staff for further details regarding a death.

The main change with respect to notifiable deaths is the duration of time between the end of pregnancy and death. The current death certificate includes a requirement for reporting that the deceased was pregnant within three months before death. This requirement will be changed, over time, to twelve months.

Notification Forms

Email completed forms to PerinatalRegistry.DoH@nt.gov.au.

Contact

Perinatal Registry
Population and Digital Health
Level 7, Manunda Place, 38 Cavenagh Street
Darwin NT 0801

Phone - business hours 8am to 4.30pm: (08) 8985 8074


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