Perinatal Database Pilot Project

Development of a Perinatal Database for the Northwest Territories, Canada

ICHR Facilitators:

• Susan Chatwood, Karolina Machalek, Bryany Denning

Project Team:

• Lesley Paulette and Gisela Becker (Fort Smith Health and Social Services Authority Midwifery Program), Andrew Kotaska (Stanton Territorial Health Authority)

Funders:

• Public Health Agency of Canada, CIHR Team in Circumpolar Health Research

Perinatal data in the NWT is currently collected by the Ft. Smith Midwifery program and serves as a valuable tool to understand the scope of services in the region. However perinatal data is not collected in other jurisdictions in the NWT, thus broader understanding of maternal and child health in the NWT or comparisons between service delivery models are not possible.

Stakeholder consultations to identify the needs for a perinatal surveillance system and database in the Northwest Territories were undertaken in 2007. These consultations involved individual and group meetings where objectives of perinatal surveillance systems were introduced, territorial priorities in response to the objectives were set and resources and capacity for perinatal surveillance were identified. Stakeholders involved in the project included the various Northwest Territories Governmental staff in public health, epidemiology and health systems informatics, obstetricians and pediatricians at Stanton Territorial Hospital, midwives at the FSHSSA Midwifery Program, the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research, and other researchers.

Accurate and reliable data on perinatal outcomes is vital to improving both population health and the delivery of care.

Objectives that would meet the identified needs of the perinatal surveillance system were elucidated and recommendations for development were explored. Perinatal database development was based on a number of regional, national and international background sources. The purpose of the perinatal surveillance system was to collect perinatal data that would meet the needs for program evaluation and quality assurance; surveillance, and research.

Results indicated that data collection should be dynamic and prospective in order to fulfill the objectives and cater to a variety of stakeholders. Approximately 400 variables related to maternal and infant health were identified for data collection. To date, approximately 120 variables and their definitions have been reviewed and added to the Northwest Territories Perinatal Database Manual. Special considerations for northern and indigenous populations included documenting variables such as transfers for birth, type and number of caregivers, ethnicity, and risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy.  Discussions related to the development of the database and priorities for maternal child health research are ongoing.

For more information, contact Bryany Denning at bryany.denning@ichr.ca.