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Article History

Received: 28 November 2017

Accepted: 2 May 2018

First Online: 21 May 2018

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: Ethics approval is needed for this study as we are using un-encrypted NHI numbers (to enable accurate individual level matching from the mother to fetal/neonatal outcomes). Ethics approval to utilise data from the national collections is obtained through the Health and Disability Ethics Committee (HDEC). Our study has been granted national ethical approval by the New Zealand Northern B Ethics Committee (Ref 16/NTB/186).Local ethics approval is needed for the in-depth study in the 5 DHBs to obtain and use local hospital data. Each DHB has its own process which also comprises an application to local Māori research committees to help ensure that the research is tika (ethical) and is of benefit to Māori. Face-to-face consultation with key stakeholders is carried out at each DHB prior to application. The application to grant permission to obtain and use local hospital data is discussed at respective committees such as the Women’s Health Governance Group, and it is usual for a clinician to be named as a local investigator, this ensures that the study meets local requirements and to provide appropriate interpretation of the results (i.e. are informed by local knowledge). Results will not be published without prior knowledge of the relevant stakeholders.

: The authors declare they have no competing interests.

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