Manner of death, causes of death and autopsies in infants, children and adolescents: An overview from a German metropolis 2002–2012

• Published in: Rechtsmedizin (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 2022-12, Vol.32 (6), p.465-472
• Main Authors: Feld, Katharina, Feld, Dustin, Quandel, Kristin, Banaschak, Sibylle
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Forensic Medicine; Forensic Psychiatry; Forensic Science; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Reports
• ISSN: 0937-9819; 1434-5196
• DOI: 10.1007/s00194-022-00568-y

Child mortality is an issue that is repeatedly discussed internationally and is subject to strong fluctuations depending on the country and region and the respective levels of development. Several studies on child mortality are available from e.g., the USA; however, data from institutes in Germany are still lacking. The present study compared data on the manner and causes of deaths of infants, children and adolescents in Germany from 2002 to 2012 on different levels (the Institute of Legal Medicine and the Public Health Department, both in Cologne, as well as nationwide) with international data. Special attention is paid to autopsy figures and cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Throughout the observation period, child mortality decreased overall in all levels of data. Mortality rates were highest in the first year of life, with natural causes of death (premature birth, malformations, SIDS) dominating. With increasing age the number of non-natural deaths and thus, accident-related deaths, especially transportation accidents, increased. Reasons for the reduced number of cases can be nationally effective prevention and awareness campaigns as well as constantly improving medical care. At a local level, targeted educational work leads to higher numbers of autopsies, particularly in cases of SIDS. In principle, the results of this study are generally comparable with other studies on child mortality, although the available data can only be used for detailed analyses to a limited extent