Seq No. Metadata item Obligation Max occurs 999 Perinatal NMDS 2014-18 Mandatory 1 - Birth event—anaesthesia administered indicator, yes/no code N Mandatory 1 - Birth event—analgesia administered indicator, yes/no code N Mandatory 1 - Birth event—birth method, code N DSS specific information:
In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Mandatory 1 - Birth event—birth plurality, code N DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Birth event—birth presentation, code N DSS specific information:
In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Mandatory 1 - Birth event—labour onset type, code N DSS specific information:
How labour commenced is closely associated with method of birth and maternal and neonatal morbidity. Induction rates vary for maternal risk factors and obstetric complications and are important indicators of obstetric intervention.
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Birth event—setting of birth (actual), code N DSS specific information:
Used to analyse the risk factors and outcomes by place of birth. While most deliveries occur within hospitals, an increasing number of births now occur in other settings. It is important to monitor the births occurring outside hospitals and to ascertain whether or not the actual place of delivery was planned.
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Birth event—state/territory of birth, code N DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Birth event—type of anaesthesia administered, code N[N] Conditional obligation:
This data element is to only be reported in cases where anaesthesia was administered to the mother during the birth event.
Conditional 7 - Birth event—type of analgesia administered, code N[N] Conditional obligation:
This data element is to only be reported in cases where analgesia was administered to the mother during the birth event.
Conditional 6 - Birth—Apgar score (at 5 minutes), code NN DSS specific information:
Required to analyse pregnancy outcome, particularly after complications of pregnancy, labour and birth. The Apgar score is an indicator of the health of a baby.
In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Mandatory 1 - Birth—birth order, code N DSS specific information:
Birth order is only assigned to births that are in scope for the Perinatal NMDS (i.e. births of at least 20 weeks gestation or 400g birth weight). In the case of multiple pregnancies, if one or more fetuses were removed from the uterus before 20 weeks gestation, for example, by abortion (spontaneous, induced or fetal reduction), they are not considered in the assignment of birth order for any remaining fetuses that are born. For example, in a twin pregnancy, where one fetus is aborted before 20 weeks, no birth order would be recorded for that twin. If the remaining twin is born and is in scope for the Perinatal NMDS, then their birth order would be recorded as ‘1 Singleton or first of a multiple birth’. If both twins are born and are in scope for the Perinatal NMDS, the first twin will be assigned a birth order of ‘1 Singleton or first of a multiple birth’ and the second twin will be assigned a birth order of ‘2 Second of a multiple birth’.
In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Mandatory 1 - Birth—birth status, code N DSS specific information:
Essential to analyse outcome of pregnancy.
In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Mandatory 1 - Birth—birth weight, total grams NNNN DSS specific information:
For the provision of state and territory hospital data to Commonwealth agencies this metadata item must be consistent with diagnoses and procedure codes for valid grouping.
Weight is an important indicator of pregnancy outcome, is a major risk factor for neonatal morbidity and mortality and is required to analyse perinatal services for high-risk infants.
This metadata item is required to generate Australian National Diagnosis Related Groups.
In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Mandatory 1 - Episode of admitted patient care—separation date, DDMMYYYY DSS specific information:
For the provision of state and territory hospital data to Commonwealth agencies this field must:
be <= last day of financial year be >= first day of financial year be >= Admission date This item is collected once for the mother and once for the baby.
Mandatory 2 - Establishment—organisation identifier (Australian), NNX[X]NNNNN DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Female (mother)—postpartum perineal status, code N[N] Mandatory 2 - Female (pregnant)—number of cigarettes smoked (per day after 20 weeks of pregnancy), number N[NN] Conditional obligation:
The data element is only to be recorded if the response to the Female (pregnant)—tobacco smoking indicator (after twenty weeks of pregnancy), yes/no code N data element is Yes.
DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Conditional 1 - Female (pregnant)—tobacco smoking indicator (after twenty weeks of pregnancy), yes/no code N DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Female (pregnant)—tobacco smoking indicator (first twenty weeks of pregnancy), yes/no code N DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Female—caesarean section at most recent previous birth indicator, code N DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Female—number of antenatal care visits, total N[N] Mandatory 1 - Female—parity, total pregnancies N[N] DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Person—area of usual residence, statistical area level 2 (SA2) code (ASGS 2016) N(9) DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Person—country of birth, code (SACC 2016) NNNN Mandatory 1 - Person—date of birth, DDMMYYYY DSS specific information:
This item is collected once for the mother and once for the baby.
Mandatory 2 - Person—Indigenous status, code N DSS specific information:
This item is collected once for the mother and once for the baby.
Mandatory 2 - Person—person identifier, XXXXXX[X(14)] DSS specific information:
This item is collected once for the mother and once for the baby.
Mandatory 2 - Person—sex, code N DSS specific information:
In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Mandatory 1 - Pregnancy—estimated duration (at the first visit for antenatal care), completed weeks N[N] DSS specific information:
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Product of conception—gestational age, completed weeks N[N] DSS specific information:
The first day of the last menstrual period (LMP) is required to estimate gestational age, which is a key outcome of pregnancy and an important risk factor for neonatal outcomes. Although the date of the LMP may not be known, or may sometimes be erroneous, estimation of gestational age based on clinical assessment may also be inaccurate. Both methods of assessing gestational age are required for analysis of outcomes.
This item is collected for the mother only.
Mandatory 1 - Birth event—additional indications for caesarean section, code NN Conditional obligation:
Conditional on birth method being coded as a caesarean section. Also conditional on main indication for caesarean section being completed.
Conditional 2 - Birth event—main indication for caesarean section, code NN Conditional obligation:
Conditional on birth method being coded as a caesarean section.
Conditional 1 - Female—blood transfusion due to primary postpartum haemorrhage indicator, yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N Conditional obligation:
Conditional on primary postpartum haemorrhage indicator being coded as yes.
Conditional 1 - Female—diabetes mellitus during pregnancy indicator, yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N DSS specific information:
It is acceptable for jurisdictions to report only Codes 1 and 9 against this item.
Mandatory 1 - Female—estimated blood loss indicating primary postpartum haemorrhage, estimated blood loss volume category, code N Conditional obligation:
Conditional on primary postpartum haemorrhage indicator being coded yes.
Conditional 1 - Female—hypertensive disorder during pregnancy indicator, yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N DSS specific information:
It is acceptable for jurisdictions to report only Codes 1 and 9 against this item.
Mandatory 1 - Female—primary postpartum haemorrhage indicator, yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N Mandatory 1 - Female—type of diabetes mellitus during pregnancy, code N Conditional obligation:
Conditional on diabetes mellitus during pregnancy indicator being coded as yes.
Conditional 1 - Female—type of diabetes mellitus therapy during pregnancy, code N Conditional obligation:
Conditional on diabetes mellitus during pregnancy indicator being coded as yes.
Conditional 3 - Female—type of hypertensive disorder during pregnancy, code N Conditional obligation:
Conditional on hypertensive disorder during pregnancy indicator being coded as yes.
Conditional 3 - Person—height (measured), total centimetres NN[N].N Conditional obligation:
It is preferable to collect and record a pregnant woman's height as a measured height. Where a measured height has not been provided or it is not possible to ascertain whether the height has been measured or self-reported, the value 999.9 should be recorded against this data item to indicate this. Data should then be recorded against the conditional self-report height item.
DSS specific information:
It is acceptable for measured height to be rounded to the nearest centimetre.
Mandatory 1 - Person—height (self-reported), total centimetres NN[N] Conditional obligation:
It is preferable to collect and record a pregnant woman's height as a measured height. Where a measured height has not been provided or it is not possible to ascertain whether the height has been measured or self-reported, the value 999.9 should be recorded against the measured height data item to indicate this. Data should then be recorded against this conditional self-report height item.
DSS specific information:
It is acceptable for a self-reported height to be rounded to the nearest whole centimetre.
Conditional 1 - Person—weight (measured), total kilograms N[NN].N Conditional obligation:
It is preferable to collect and record a pregnant woman's weight as a measured weight. Where a measured weight has not been provided or it is not possible to ascertain whether the weight has been measured or self-reported, the value 999.9 should be recorded against this data item to indicate this. Data should then be recorded against the conditional self-report weight item.
DSS specific information:
Weight rounded to the nearest whole kilogram is acceptable.
Weight should be recorded in the first trimester, preferably as a measured weight. However, the woman's self-reported weight around the time of conception is acceptable if a measured weight is not available.
Mandatory 1 - Person—weight (self-reported), total kilograms NN[N] Conditional obligation:
It is preferable to collect and record a pregnant woman's weight as a measured weight. Where a measured weight has not been provided or it is not possible to ascertain whether the weight has been measured or self-reported, the value 999.9 should be recorded against the measured weight data item to indicate this. Data should then be recorded against this conditional self-reported weight item.
DSS specific information:
Weight rounded to the nearest whole kilogram is acceptable.
Weight should be recorded in the first trimester, preferably as a measured weight. However, the woman's self-reported weight around the time of conception is acceptable if a measured weight is not available.
Conditional 1 
