Tracing causes of death in neonates in urban and rural communities in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar Districts.

Objective:To Study the socio-demographic characteristics of neonatal deaths in urban and rural communities. Methods:A Cross-sectionalCommunity- based study on Neonate was carried out during November-2004 to October-2005 with help ofPre-designed and Pre-tested Proformaof “Sample Registration System” of India, for every Neonatal death in the study area, using a structured interview schedule. Results:The population had 380(0.78%) neonates.Majority of the deaths70.27% occurred in a premature and preterm birth ofneonates. Neonatal Mortality was 31.65/1000 live births and it was1.70 times higher in rural area than urban area.Only 56.76% deceased were born inInstitutions. Exclusive breast feeding among deceasedwas 89.19%.Utilization of Antenatal Care Services by Mothers of deceased neonates was82.43%. Conclusion:The present study has been carried out to determine causes and factors related to neonatal death. The most of neonatal deaths occurred in preterm and low birth weight babies that need more strengthening of health care services.Knowledge and Practice of mothersrequired for positioning and attachment of neonate during breast feeding. The diagnosis of cause of death was mainly symptom-based according to the information collected by verbal autopsy.

A study of twin births in rural communities of Gujarat.

The incidence and the factors that influence twinning were studied in six villages of Dholka Taluka, a rural field training centre. The twinning rate was 10.10 per 1000 maternities. The monozygotic and dizygotic twinning rates were 4.53 and 5.56, respectively by applying Weinberg's differential formula. In three fourths of the twin births, both twins were of same sex while in one fourth, they were of opposite sex. The twinning rates increased significantly with increase in parental age and pregnancy order of mother.