BMC women's health
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HEALTH ISSUE: Canada's standard of perinatal care ranks among the highest in the world, but there is still room for improvement, both in terms of regional differences in care and global comparisons of approaches to care in Canada and elsewhere. Data from the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System (CPSS) was used to evaluate morbidity and mortality among mothers and infants. KEY Maternal mortality rates in Canada dropped to 4.4 per 100,000 live births in 1993-1997 and are among the lowest in the world. ⋯ The costs to the health care system are likely to be high. DATA GAPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: CPSS data, including economic indicators, needs to be collected in a more timely and uniform manner across Canada. The CPSS should provide an evaluation of how well Canada fares in relation to international standards of perinatal care.