31 October 2023
Chris McCashin
[FYI request #23952 email]
Tēnā koe Chris
Your request for Official information, reference: HNZ00028956
Thank you for your email of 25 August 2023 to Manatū Hauora (the Ministry of Health) that was
transferred to Te Whatu Ora on 29 August 2023, asking for the following information under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“Please provide from 2020 - 2023 broken down per month
Total number of woman that passed away during child birth
Whether the infant also passed away
And whether the infant passed during, days after or within twelve months of the birth”
The Mortality Collection, which is available on the following web link
www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/our[1]health-system/data-and-statistics/nz-health-statistics/national-
collections-and[1]surveys/collections/mortality-collection/, classifies the underlying cause of death
for all deaths registered in Aotearoa New Zealand and all registered foetal deaths (stil births).
Currently, 2018 is the most recent year for which final cause specific mortality data is available.
Preliminary data is available for 2019 and 2020. After the close of a calendar year, there is a 12-18
month process to assign cause of death codes to the majority of deaths in that year.
Te Whatu Ora’s clinical coding team reviews the death certificate and health history of the
deceased, to assign cause of death codes. Approximately 10% of deaths are referred to the
Coroner each year to determine cause. Deaths which require a coronial inquiry can take 2-3 or
more years for cause of death to be assigned. We do not make mortality data available publicly
until the majority of deaths have been assigned a cause of death, so that the data we release is
complete and accurate. The Chief Coroner has noted delays in the time it is taking them to assign
cause of death codes. As such, your request for data in New Zealand from 2020 to 2023 is
declined under section 18(e) of the Act as the information does not exist.
However, there is some more recent information on this subject area available, published in June
was the 15th Annual report of the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Commit ee:
https:/ www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/fifteenth-annual-report-of-the-perinatal-and-
maternal-mortality-review-committee-reporting-mortality-and-morbidity-2020/
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Te Whatu Ora may
proactively release a copy of this response on our website. Al requester data, including your name
and contact details, wil be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Michael Cleary
Acting OIA Manager
Government Services
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
