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A yearly increase in the proportion of very low birth weight (VLBW) live births has resulted in the slowdown of decreasing trends in crude infant mortality rates (IMRs). In this study, we examined the trends in birth weight-specific as well as birth weight-adjusted IMRs in Taiwan. Methods: We linked three nationwide datasets, namely the National Birth Reporting Database, National Birth Certification Registry, and National Death Certification Registry databases, to calculate the IMRs according to the birth weight category. Trend tests and mortality rate ratios in the periods 2010–2011 and 2004–2005 were used to examine the extent of reduction in birth weight-specific and birth weight-adjusted IMRs. Results: The proportion of VLBW (

Rankings of infant mortality rates are commonly cited international comparisons to assess the health status of individual countries. We compared the infant mortality rate of Taiwan with those of European countries for 2004 according to two definitions. Methods: First, the countries were ranked on the basis of crude infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates. The countries were then ranked according to the mortality rates calculated after exclusion of live births with a known birth weight of

To develop new growth references for height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) for children aged 0–5 years in the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study (TBCS) and to compare these references with both 1997 Taiwan references and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Methods: Data were obtained from the TBCS of a nationally representative sample of 24,200 children. A total of 18,466 children completed the baseline survey at 6 months of age and three follow-up surveys at 18 months, 3 years, and 5.5 years of age. The modified LMS method was used to construct percentile curves by sex, including length/height for age, weight for age, and BMI for age. Results: TBCS children of both sexes were shorter and lighter at birth compared with 1997 Taiwan references and WHO standards. The growth patterns of TBCS children were close to those of the 1997 Taiwan references after 6 months of age. Compared with WHO standards, however, TBCS children were heavier after 6 months of age. Conclusion: This study has developed TBCS references to monitor the growth of children in Taiwan, whose weight growth patterns differed from those “prescribed” by WHO standards.