ABSTRACT
PIP: A 5-year retrospective hospital series on perinatal mortality at Ethiopia's Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital has been made. The total number of singleton deliveries was 18,675 of which 907 were stillbirths and 400 were early neonatal deaths. Unsuccessful outcomes of pregnancy were observed clearly among unbooked patients when compared with booked patients. The annual perinatal mortality rates (per 1000 total births) during the years 1981 to 1985 in unbooked patients were 91.1, 68.8, 102.5, 99.7 and 65.5 and for the booked patients 50.4, 69.8, 40.0, 45.8 and 42.8 respectively. The difference between the unbooked and booked patients was statistically significant. Weight specific perinatal mortality revealed that the birthweight groups 1,000-1,499 and 1,500- 1,999 grams showed the highest perinatal deaths. Thus, low birthweight is considered to be the most important factor in perinatal deaths in our 5-year survey. Lack of antenatal care and prematurity were found to be the most important factors determining perinatal deaths. Possible solutions to the problems and prospective studies recommended include the assessment of demographic factors in order to make community-based studies.^ieng