Brazilian live birth information system: a review study

The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the use of the Live Birth Information System (Sistema de Informações de Nascidos Vivos--SINASC) in health research. MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO databases were searched from 1994 to 2005 using the following combination of descriptors: "SINASC", "live birth", "Brazil". We identified 157 abstracts within the reference period, among which 44 were selected and classified according to specific criteria. The number of articles published per year increased during the period studied. The majority of the studies was carried out in the Southeast region and used the municipality as the geographic unity of analysis. A varied range of subjects were assessed including descriptions of live births profiles, health service and programs evaluations and risk factors for infant outcomes. In conclusion, although the SINASC represents an important data source for maternal-infant health research, the system's coverage and the reliability of its data need to be better evaluated.