A survey of neonatal tetanus and perinatal mortality in southern Muslim communities in Thailand.

ABSTRACT

The objective was to obtain the incidence rate of neonatal tetanus, perinatal mortality rate, and the coverage of health care utilization in the rural Muslim in the lower part of southern Thailand. In a retrospective field study, the rural populations of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani provinces were studied by cluster sampling technique. The still birth rate and early neonatal mortality rate were 15.3 per 1,000 births and 11.2 per 1,000 live births, respectively. The maternal mortality rate was 1.7 per 1,000 live births. 55% of all pregnancies received 2 injections of tetanus toxoid, 80% of deliveries were performed by traditional birth attendants. The incidence rate of neonatal tetanus was 0.9 per 1,000 live births. The coverage of health service for prevention of perinatal mortality was low and these perinatal and maternal mortality rates were unacceptably high. In contrast, the incidence of neonatal tetanus was not particularly high for unknown reasons.