Health services must report all perinatal, infant and child deaths must be reported to the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (CCOPMM).
CCOPMM requests that this is done within 28 days.
What do you have to report?
Stillbirths
The birth of an infant of at least 20 weeks’ gestation, or if the gestation is unknown, weighing at least 400 grams at birth, who shows no signs of life after birth.
Neonatal deaths
The death of a live-born child regardless of gestational age at birth, within 28 days after the birth.
Note: The term ‘live birth’ means the birth of an infant, regardless of maturity or birth weight, who breathes or shows any other signs of life after being born. Such infants require registration as births, and a perinatal death certificate.
Infant death
A death occurring within one year of birth in a live-born infant. For reporting purposes, infant deaths include only those born of at least 20 weeks gestation or, if gestation is unknown, weighing at least 400 grams.
Post-neonatal infant death
A death of an infant aged at least 28 days (where the first day of life is day zero) and less than one year of age.
Child or adolescent death
A death of a child occurring on or after their first birthday and up to but not including their 18th birthday.
Who needs to report?
- Individual doctors and midwives
- Pathology departments
- Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval.
Notify CCOPMM of a perinatal, infant, child or adolescent death
Follow our steps to notify CCOPMM.
What do we do with this information?
CCOPMM reports annually to share the lessons and improvements from perinatal and child deaths in Victoria.