Burden of perinatal conditions in Yemen: a 12-year hospital-based study

ABSTRACT

We conducted a 12-year retrospective analysis of perinatal characteristics at Al-Sabeen Hospital, Sana'a. There were 62168 births, 2936 stillbirths and 5434 perinatal deaths. There were 14 576 [24.6%] preterm low-birth-weight [LBW] babies. Early neonatal death [ENND] rate was 42.2/1000 live births. Of the 10 546 neonates admitted to the special baby care unit [SBCU], 40.1% were preterm LBW and 2147 [20.4%] died [80.6% were preterm LBW]. The last 4 years showed a 17.2% increase in stillbirths and a 40.5% reduction in ENND compared with the first 4 years. In the SBCU, reduction in ENND was > 70%. Respiratory distress accounted for 63.8% of deaths in the SBCU and birth asphyxia 15.0%. Our results reflect the poor antenatal and delivery care services in Yemen