UNDER REGISTRATION OF HOSPITAL LIVE BIRTH S IN AN URBAN AREA OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL, 1989

With a view to evaluating the real situation of the vital statistics a s regards their completeness in the city of Maringa, Parana State, Bra zil, 4,876 hospital live births which occurred during 1989 were studie d. The rate of under-registration was estimated as 9.1%, varying accor ding to maternal age, parity and financial condition. The results lead to the hypothesis of an association between under registration and lo wer socio-economical levels. The study also describes all the necessar y steps to establish the link between the two sets of events, live bir th and legal registration.