Study of perinatal deaths and infant mortality in the area of the Jaffna Municipal Council

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