Pregnancy—birth plurality, code N

Identifying and definitional attributes
Metadata item type:	Data Element
Short name:	Birth plurality
Synonymous names:	Multiple birth
METEOR identifier:	695308
Registration status:	Health, Superseded 03/12/2020 Indigenous, Superseded 14/07/2021
Definition:	The number of births resulting from a single pregnancy, as represented by a code.
Context:	Perinatal. Multiple pregnancy increases the risk of complications during pregnancy, labour and delivery and is associated with higher risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality.
Data Element Concept:	Pregnancy—birth plurality

Value domain attributes

Representational attributes

Representation class:

Code

Data type:

Number

Format:

Maximum character length:

Permissible values:

Value	Meaning
1	Singleton
2	Twins
3	Triplets
4	Quadruplets
5	Quintuplets
6	Sextuplets
8	Other

Supplementary values:

Value	Meaning
9	Not stated/inadequately described

Data element attributes

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:

Plurality at birth is determined by the total number of live births and stillbirths that result from the pregnancy.

Stillbirths, including those where the fetus was likely to have died before 20 weeks gestation (including fetus papyraceous and fetus compressus), should be included in the count of plurality if recognisable as a fetus and expelled or extracted with other products of conception at 20 or more weeks gestation.

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:

National Perinatal Data Development Committee

Relational attributes

Related metadata references:

Implementation in Data Set Specifications:

All attributes +

Indigenous primary health care NBEDS 2019–20 Health, Superseded 16/01/2020
Indigenous, Superseded 14/07/2021

DSS specific attributes +
*Implementation start date:* 01/07/2019 *Implementation end date:* 30/06/2020 *DSS specific information:* This item is only collected for infants born during the preceding 12 months.

Indigenous primary health care NBEDS 2020–21 Health, Retired 13/10/2021

DSS specific attributes +
*Implementation start date:* 01/07/2020 *Implementation end date:* 30/06/2021 *Conditional obligation:* This item is only collected for babies born during the preceding 12 months.

Perinatal NMDS 2019–20 Health, Superseded 03/12/2020

DSS specific attributes +
*Implementation start date:* 01/07/2019 *Implementation end date:* 30/06/2020 *DSS specific information:* This data element is recorded for the mother only.

Perinatal NMDS 2020–21 Health, Superseded 03/12/2020

DSS specific attributes +
*Implementation start date:* 01/07/2020 *Implementation end date:* 30/06/2021 *DSS specific information:* This data element is recorded for the mother only.

Implementation in Indicators:

Used as Numerator

Indigenous primary health care: PI02a-Number of Indigenous babies born within the previous 12 months whose birthweight results were low, normal or high, June 2020 Health, Retired 13/10/2021
Indigenous, Superseded 14/07/2021

Indigenous primary health care: PI02b-Proportion of Indigenous babies born within the previous 12 months whose birthweight results were low, normal or high, June 2020 Health, Retired 13/10/2021
Indigenous, Superseded 14/07/2021

National Core Maternity Indicators: PI 05–Induction of labour for selected females giving birth for the first time, 2021 Health, Standard 17/12/2021

National Core Maternity Indicators: PI 06–Caesarean section for selected females giving birth for the first time, 2021 Health, Standard 17/12/2021

National Core Maternity Indicators: PI 07–Non-instrumental vaginal birth for selected females giving birth for the first time, 2021 Health, Standard 17/12/2021

National Core Maternity Indicators: PI 08–Instrumental vaginal birth for selected females giving birth for the first time, 2021 Health, Standard 17/12/2021

National Healthcare Agreement: PI 01–Proportion of babies born of low birth weight, 2022 Health, Standard 24/09/2021

Used as Denominator

National Core Maternity Indicators: PI 05–Induction of labour for selected females giving birth for the first time, 2021 Health, Standard 17/12/2021

National Core Maternity Indicators: PI 06–Caesarean section for selected females giving birth for the first time, 2021 Health, Standard 17/12/2021