A cohort of 6,011 children is being followed up from birth in Pelotas, RS, Brazil. More than 87% of these children were seen when aged 12-27months (mean = 20 months), when all 68,600 urban households were visited. Deaths were monitored through home visits, the review of hospital casenotes and of death certificates at the Secretariat of Health, and these findings were compared with official statistics. Approximately 42% of perinatal deaths failed to be registered, the corresponding figures being 48% for fetal and 24% for infant deaths. On the other hand, less than 5% of all births failed to be registered. The implications of these findings for health policy-makers are discussed.
