PERINATAL MORTALITY IN IGUEBEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

Abstract

The fourth Millennium Development Goal was endorsed to reduce under
five mortality rate by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. In order to achieve
this goal, the reduction of early neonatal death which contributes 28% to under
five mortality and 50% to perinatal deaths is imperative. A basic requirement in
achieving this goal is the determination of PMR, SBR and ENDR and factors
that promote perinatal mortality in the community as 67% of deliveries occur in
the community. The study therefore aimed at determining the PMR, SBR and
ENDR, the proportion of ENDs that occur in the first 24 hours and the possible
causes of END in Igueben LGA of Edo State.
All women of child-bearing who resided in the three randomly selected
political wards in Igueben LGA were identified and those mothers who had
deliveries and perinatal deaths between June 2009 and May 2010, and did not
opt out were recruited into the study. Questionnaires were administered on such
mothers and data obtained was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences 13.0.
Of the 921 women of child-bearing age, 258 deliveries with three
perinatal deaths were recorded. This resulted in PMR, SBR and ENDR of
11.6/1000TB, 11.6/1000TB and 0/1000LB respectively. No early neonatal death
was recorded. No statistically significant relationship existed between perinatal
mortality and maternal age (p= 0.49), parity (p = 0.52), booking status (p =
1.00), educational status (p = 0.86) and socio-economic status (p = 0.94) and
baby’s birth weight (p = 0.67) and gestational age at birth (p = 0.74). Almost all
mothers studied (99.6%) received skilled obstetric care in delivery. The
mortality rates in the study are low compared to the projected averages for
Nigeria.
The study therefore underscores the importance of community-based
studies in the determination of vital statistics which are important in health
planning including resource allocation.

PERINATAL MORTALITY IN IGUEBEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE