The UK Statistics Authority has designated NRS vital events statistics as National Statistics, in line with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the [Code of Practice](https://code.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/) for Official Statistics (available on the UK Statistics Authority website). National Statistics status means that official statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value.
Number of infant deaths (stillbirth, perinatal and those aged under 1 year old).
[Statistical information about births, deaths and other vital events](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events) is available in alternative formats, such as high level summaries and reports, from the vital events pages on the NRS website.
This dataset does not contain any personal information.
Information about the [quality management process](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/general-background-information/quality-of-national-records-of-scotland-nrs-data-on-vital-events) for births and deaths data are available on the NRS website.
This dataset will be updated annually, typically in early autumn.
[Examples of uses of vital events statistics](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files/statistics/vital-events/ve-general-uses-of-ve-stats.pdf) can be accessed in a report published on the NRS website.
Infant deaths refer to all deaths in the first year of life. Perinatal deaths are stillbirths and deaths which occur in the first week of life. Data on births, stillbirths and deaths relate to the date of registration of the event and not the date of occurrence. More information is available on the [National Records of Scotland website](http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/deaths/deaths-background-information/stillbirths-and-infant-deaths).