Identifying and definitional attributes | |
Metadata item type: | Data Element |
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Short name: | Gestational age |
METEOR identifier: | 669039 |
Registration status: | Health!, Superseded 12/12/2018 |
Definition: | The age of a product of conception in completed weeks. |
Data Element Concept: | Product of conception—gestational age |
Value Domain: | Total weeks N[N] |
Data element attributes | |
Collection and usage attributes | |
Guide for use: | Gestational age is the best clinical estimate of the duration of pregnancy at a specific point in time, based on the first day of the last menstrual period, ultrasound or physical examination of the baby. Gestational age is conventionally expressed in completed weeks. When gestational age is calculated using the first day of the last normal menstrual period, the first day is counted as day zero and not day one. Therefore, a 25 week, 5 day fetus is considered a 25 week fetus (25+0, 25+1, 25+2, 25+3, 25+4, 25+5, 25+6). When ultrasound is used to date a pregnancy, the earliest ultrasound examination should be used and should preferably be between 6 and 10 weeks gestation. Scans performed beyond 24 weeks gestation are unlikely to be reliable in estimating gestational age and should not be used for this purpose. The World Health Organization identifies the following categories for duration of gestation:
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Comments: | Gestational age is a key marker in pregnancy and an important risk factor for neonatal outcomes. |
Source and reference attributes | |
Submitting organisation: | National Perinatal Data Development Committee |
Origin: | WHO (World Health Organization) 1992. International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision. Geneva: WHO. |
Reference documents: | American Academy of Pediatrics 2004. Policy statement: Age terminology during the perinatal period. Paediatrics 114(5):1362–64. |
Relational attributes | |
Related metadata references: | Supersedes Product of conception—gestational age, completed weeks N[N] Health!, Superseded 02/08/2017 Tasmanian Health, Superseded 03/07/2020 Has been superseded by Product of conception—gestational age, total completed weeks N[N] Health!, Standard 12/12/2018 Tasmanian Health, Standard 03/07/2020 See also Pregnancy—estimated duration (at the first visit for antenatal care), completed weeks N[N] Health!, Superseded 12/12/2018 Indigenous, Superseded 02/04/2019 See also Pregnancy—estimated duration, total weeks N[N] WA Health, Standard 04/03/2014 |
Implementation in Data Set Specifications: | Perinatal NMDS 2018-19 Health!, Superseded 12/12/2018 Implementation start date: 01/07/2018 Implementation end date: 30/06/2019 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. Gestational age is usually estimated based on available information on LMP and clinical assessment. In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born. |
Implementation in Indicators: |
Used as Numerator
Australian Health Performance Framework: PI 3.1.6–Proportion of babies born with low birthweight, 2020 Health!, Standard 02/12/2020 Caesarean section at less than 37, 38 and 39 completed weeks gestation without medical or obstetric indication, 2017 Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Standard 27/04/2021 Caesarean section or induction of labour at less than 37, 38 and 39 completed weeks gestation without medical or obstetric indication, 2017 Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Standard 27/04/2021 Early planned caesarean section without medical or obstetric indication, 2015 Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Standard 13/12/2018 National Healthcare Agreement: PI 01–Proportion of babies born of low birth weight, 2021 Health!, Standard 16/09/2020 National Healthcare Agreement: PI 01–Proportion of babies born of low birth weight, 2022 Health!, Standard 24/09/2021
Used as Denominator
Australian Health Performance Framework: PI 3.1.6–Proportion of babies born with low birthweight, 2020 Health!, Standard 02/12/2020 |