RESUMEN
Risk factors during pregnancy and delivery and neurological morbidity of newborns were assessed in a birth cohort in Dominica, the Caribbean. The data were compared with two reference groups, one from Grenada, the Caribbean, and the other from Groningen, the Netherlands. Despite variations in cultural and socio-economic situation, the similarities in obstetrical conditions, neonatal neurological morbidity and perinatal relationships between the three groups were more striking than the differences. The Dominican group showed a significantly higher rate of preterm births than the two other groups. Preterm birth was associated with a significant increase in neurological deviancy. In general motility and muscle tone were found to be lower in the Caribbean region than in the Netherlands (AU)
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Embarazo , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Femenino , Daño Encefálico Crónico/epidemiología , Complicaciones del Embarazo/epidemiología , Resultado del Embarazo , Puntaje de Apgar , Asfixia Neonatal/complicaciones , Asfixia Neonatal/epidemiología , Daño Encefálico Crónico/diagnóstico , Daño Encefálico Crónico/etiología , Parto Obstétrico/métodos , Parto Obstétrico/normas , Retardo del Crecimiento Fetal/complicaciones , Retardo del Crecimiento Fetal/epidemiología , Incidencia , Mortalidad Infantil , Trabajo de Parto Prematuro/complicaciones , Trabajo de Parto Prematuro/epidemiología , Países Bajos/epidemiología , Vigilancia de la Población , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , Dominica , Estudio ComparativoRESUMEN
The risk factors during pregnancy and delivery and neurological morbidity of the newborn were assessed in a birth cohort in Dominica, West Indies. The data were compared with those from 2 reference groups from Grenada, West Indies and Groningen, the Netherlands. Despite variations in cultural and socio-economic factors among the 3 groups, the similarities in obstetrical status, neonatal neurological morbidity and perinatal relationships were more striking than the differences. The Dominican group showed a significantly higher rate of preterm births than the other 2 groups. Preterm birth was associated with a significant increase in neurological deviancy. In general, motility and muscle tone were found to be lower in West Indians than in Netherlands newborns (AU)
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Femenino , Recién Nacido , Mortalidad Infantil , DominicaRESUMEN
Neonatal morbidity, in particular neurological morbidity is a more relevant measure of the effectiveness of obstetrical care than perinatal mortality. Neurological morbidity was assessed in a birth cohort in Grenada, and appeared to be lower than in a reference group examined in Groningen, the Netherlands, in 1975-1978. Perinatal mortality, however, was higher. The results support the thesis that some children may have died who, if they would have survived, would have been neurologically abnormal. It is concluded that whereas a decrease in perinatal deaths is an essential goal in Grenada, a concomitant increase in morbidity should be carefully avoided. (AU)