Male and female components of perinatal mortality: International trends, 1901–63

Analysis of vital data from five West European countries indicates that there has been a decline in the relative male risk and the sex ratio of late fetal mortality during the period 1901–1963. However, this decline is largely compensated for by an increase in the relative male risk and sex ratio of early neonatal mortality. As a result, no clear and consistent trend in the relative male risk or sex ratio of perinatal mortality can be detected. It is suggested that improvements in obstetric practice or in registration effectiveness may be responsible for the phenomena noted. Whatever the explanation, the findings illustrate the dangers of reifying registration definitions in the analysis of vital events.