Cause-specific infant mortality rate in Qatif area, eastern province, Saudi Arabia

Cause-specific infant mortality rate data are useful in the planning and evaluation of strategies designed to address high infant mortality rate [IMR]. Cause-specific infant mortality rate was determined for the Qatif area using information obtained from the birth and death registers and birth and death certificates. The IMR for the Qatif area for 1992 was 21.06/1000 live births. Forty-five [70.3%] of the deaths occurred in the neonatal period and about 75% of the deaths were preventable. Major causes of IMR were premature delivery in 25 [39.1%], infections in 16 [25%], birth defects in 12 [18.8%], sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS] in four [6.3%] and difficult delivery in three [4.7%] cases. Prevention of premature delivery through improved prenatal care coverage and improvements in neonatal intensive care facilities will reduce deaths due to prematurity and difficult delivery. The impact of birth defects can be lessened with improvement in epidemiological data that may result in prevention of some of the birth defects. Better facilities for managing infants with cardiovascular anomalies will decrease infant death due to CVS defects

Trends in perinatal mortality in Qatif central hospital, Saudi Arabia

To assess the contribution of a neonatal intensive care unit to reduction in the perinatal mortality rate. The perinatal mortality data over a 5-year period were retrospectively analysed. The Maternity and Neonatal units of Qatif Central Hospital. The deliveries and babies admitted into the neonatal unit over the period. The standard neonatal intensive care procedures. Changes in the stillbirth rate, early neonatal mortality rate and perinatal mortality rate. The overall perinatal mortality rate was 16.6/1000. The perinatal mortality rate dropped from 29.1/1000 in 1988 to 15.5/1000 in 1992 [p <0.001]. There was a greater drop in early neonatal mortality rate than stillbirth rate [p <0.001] Major causes of perinatal deaths were asphyxia [59.1%], congenital anomalies [12.4%], hyaline membrane disease [12.4%] pulmonary immaturity [9.3%], intracranial haemorrhage [3.6%] and bacterial infections [2.1%]. Fifty-six [51.9%] of the stillbirths were to unbooked mothers. The neonatal intensive care unit was effective in reducing perinatal mortality rate. Improved prenatal care coverage would lead to a further reduction in perinatal mortality rate to the level observed in more developed countries