Abstract

Since 2008 Brazil is implementing a Project to decrease infant mortality in the Northeast and the Amazon Regions and reduce inequalities in these poorest regions of the country. An analysis of perinatal health indicators for all the 17 states and capitals that comprise these regions was conducted in order to support health planning and management for an effective perinatal public health system. Perinatal healthcare and population's health indicators were arranged in six groups: socioeconomics and demographics, primary healthcare (coverage, access and quality of contraception and prenatal care), hospital birth care, organization of perinatal public health system (referral system, transport, specialised care and neonatal intensive care units), quality of information on deaths and mortality rates. A perinatal health score system was assembled based on the states' and capitals' achievement in 21 and 18 variables, respectively. Each variable received 1 to 3 points to classify states and capitals in three levels: poor (<33.3%), intermediate (33.3% to 66.6%) and satisfactory (≥66.7%). Ten (58.8%) states and four (23.5%) capitals were classified into the “poor” group. Only 1 state and 6 capitals achieved the “satisfactory” group. “Organization of the perinatal public health system” and “infant and early neonatal mortality rates” were the groups with the lowest results for states and capital, as well as the “primary healthcare” group for capitals. This score system revealed which states and capitals must be prioritised in specific health actions to improve perinatal health, prevent avoidable infant deaths and decrease inequalities in the country.