A Study on Infant Mortality in a Rural Block of West Bengal, India

Background: Infant mortality isa sensitive indicator of a broad range of factors affecting children's health.Objectives: 1) To find out the infant mortality rate inAmdanga block . 2) To determine the various causes associated with infant mortality.Methodology:It is a retrospective record based study.Data on infant death were collected from government health records maintained at AmdangaBlock Primary Health Centre,North 24 Parganas, West Bengal for the period of 5 years(2008-2012).Results:The infant mortality rate over this period was 17.8 per 1000 live births.Majority of death occurred in the neonatal period(83.6%).The main causes of neonatal deaths were low birth weight including prematurity(30.9%),birth asphyxia(19.3%),whereas the most common cause of post-neonatal death was acute respiratory tract infection(34.7%).Conclusion:Most of the infant deaths are preventable through improved antenatal and perinatal care and strengthening of referral system.