Perinatal and neonatal mortality -- a hospital based study [letter]

Perinatal mortality rate (PNMR) is the most sensitive index of the quality of obstetrical and neonatal services in a particular center community or country. In the Department of Pediatrics and Obstetrics of Indira Gandhi Medical College Shimla a total of 4575 consecutive births were studied over a 2-year period to assess the PNMR and neonatal mortality rate (NMR). Findings revealed that the PNMR was 50.4/1000 births while extended PNMR was 57.3/1000 births. In the Institution perinatal hypoxia infections immaturity and congenital malformations contributed to most of the perinatal and neonatal deaths. However hypothermia contributed a much higher neonatal mortality rate. This may be explained due to cold weather conditions in this country despite the availability of hypothermia prevention facilities. The study also found that the neonatal mortality among low-birth-weight and preterm babies was 9.4% and 19.7% respectively being 10-20 times higher than among normal-birth-weight and term babies respectively.