Perinatal mortality in Jinnah postgraduate medical centre, Karachi

ABSTRACT

During the one year period from 1 st January to 31 st December, 1989, there were 6,826 deliveries and 695 perinatal deaths, of these 553 were still-born and 142 were neonatal deaths [died within 7 days of birth]. The perinatal mortality rate was 101.8 per thousand total births. The still-birth rate was 81 per thousand total births. Of the perinatal deaths, 7.9% occurred in booked and 92.1% in non-booked cases. The commonest cause of death was antepartum haemorrhage [APH], 24.2% followed by mechanical which accounted for 23.6% deaths. Abruptio placentae was the leading cause among all still-births and low-birth weight [LBW] in all neonatal deaths