Perinatal mortality in Jamaica: the role of intrapartum asphyxia and birth trauma

ABSTRACT

Data from the Jamaican Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality Survey, 1986-1987, were analysed in order to examine the frequency of pathological markers of asphyxia and birth trauma amongst fresh stillbirths and neonatal deaths in babies coming to necropsy. A total number of 1112 necropsies were performed. There were 295 normally formed fresh stillbirths and 463 neonatal deaths, 264 of whom died on the last day of life. One hundred and seventy (57.6 percent) fresh stillbirths showed signs of asphyxia and 64 (21.7 percent) had evidence of birth trauma. Signs of asphyxia were common in all the birth weight groups in 1st day neonatal deaths, being least common in the 0-999g group (19.6 percent) and most common in those weighing 2500-3499g (48.7 percent). Birth trauma was most common in infants with birth weights of over 2500g. It is of great concern that a large proportion of mature fresh stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Jamaica show pathological evidence of intrapartum asphyxia or birth trauma at necropsy. The problems underlying these deaths and the methods of preventing them need urgent attention. (AU)