Muerte fetal: realidad en Chile entre 1995-2004 / Fetal death: reality in Chile between 1995-2004

ABSTRACT

Objective: to know the late fetal mortality rate (LFMR) in Chile between 1995 and 2004. Methods: descriptive study analyzing the fetal deaths occurred in Chile in the period 1995-2004. Results: the LFMR in the period studied was 4,4 /1000newborns (NB). The LFMR in 2004 was 3.7/1000NB and the most prevalent etiologies were gestational pathologies (49 percent), ovular pathologies (21.7 percent), intrauterine hypoxia (12.8 percent), congenital malformations (6.5 percent), maternal pathology not related with pregnancy (4.2 percent) and undetermined cause (3.7 percent). Conclusions: The LFMR and the frequency of the etiologies of fetal deaths found in our study were important to plan the prevention strategies of perinathology.