In Queensland, data are collected regarding congenital anomalies during the pregnancy, birth and newborn period, up to the time of the discharge/transfer/death of the baby from its post-birth care period. Data collections accessed are the Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHAPDC: early terminations of pregnancy) and the Queensland Perinatal Data Collection (QPDC: live births and fetal deaths of at least 20 weeks gestation and/or 400 grams in birth weight).
The scope of the perinatal data collection does not include those pregnancies terminated prior to 20 weeks gestation and/or 400grams in birth weight. The data are collected in association with the mother in the QHAPDC.
The Congenital Anomaly Sub-Committee is engaged in processes to attempt to acquire data to adequately review trends of those congenital anomalies that may be terminated before 20 weeks gestation.
From time-to-time, as part of its work plan and reported on in the Council’s biannual report, the Congenital Anomaly Sub-Committee conducts investigations such as the 2014 project on the impact of place of birth on outcomes in babies with critical congenital heart disease.
QPDC provides data annually to the National Perinatal Data Collection, AIHW which includes data on congenital anomalies identified in the birth episode. These data are used to prepare state and territory comparable data reports. These reports can be found on the AIHW website.
