Abstract:
This is retrospective case-control study of III perinatal deaths and a descriptive analysis of
52 infant after the early neonatal period,done in the area of the jaffna municiple council
from 1.7.85 to 30.6.86. The perinatal death rate of 43.3/1000 total births, still birth rate of
23.8/1000 total births,and infant mortality rate of 40.8/1000 live births are high when
compared with the corresponding sri lanaka figures.Complications during pregnancy
especially breech,toxaemia and haemorrhage and the history of having taken unspecified
drugs during pregnancy increased the rate of perinatal mortality.Babies with low birth
weight and those who were born preterm were at more risk of dying during the perinatal
period.Deaths of infants after the early neonatal period esopecially during the post neonatal
period were due to gastroenteritis and respiratory infection.Environmental fatoes were found
to influence these adversely.As an epidemiological study for the improvement of health
services of the jaffna municipality,recommendations have been made.Some of these
observations and recommendations may be applicable for comparable situations.This study
identifies areas for future health service research
