Study of pregnancy outcome over a period of five years in a postgraduate institute of West Bengal.

A retrospective study of the 13211 obstetrical admissions in 1990-94 to a teaching hospital in Calcutta India revealed generally adequate pregnancy outcomes despite the referral of a large number of complicated cases to this facility. 4312 cases (32.6%) involved antenatal complications primarily abortion anemia and hypertensive disorders and 3617 (27.3%) were referred for observation after a reduction in fetal movement; another 5217 (39.4%) were for medical termination of pregnancy. Of the 6633 deliveries in the study 3315 (50%) were by cesarean section. There were 30 maternal deaths for a maternal mortality rate of 4.6/1000 live births. The main causes of maternal death were eclampsia septic abortion cardiac arrest and respiratory failure after cesarean section. Of the 6703 newborns delivered 2.6% were stillborn and 33.9% were low birth weight. The perinatal mortality rate was 3.9/1000 live births.