PERINATAL MORTALITY IN SOME PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL

Abstract

Perinatal mortality rates remain high in Nigeria and other developing countries. As
part of the drive to meet the fourth millennium development goal, there must be concerted
and progressive efforts towards appreciable reduction in perinatal mortality rate. A
prospective descriptive study was conducted to determine the perinatal mortality and
associated risk factors in Abuja municipal area council with a view to formulating
appropriate preventive measures aimed at reducing perinatal mortality rate in our
environment.
There were 1065 deliveries during the period of study, out of which 1027 were
analyzed. Of these, 62 suffered perinatal death, giving a perinatal mortality rate of 60.4 per
1000 births. There were 35 still births (17 fresh stillbirths and 18 macerated stillbirths) giving
a stillbirth rate of 34.1 per 1000 births and fresh: macerated stillbirth ratio of 1:1.06. Of those
born alive, 27 did not survive beyond the 1st week of life, giving an early neonatal death rate
of 27.2 per 1000 live births. The majority (88.7%) of perinatal deaths were due to severe
perinatal asphyxia (53.2%), macerated stillbirths (29.0%) and prematurity (6.5%). Severe
perinatal asphyxia was also the commonest aetiological condition associated with early
neonatal death, followed by prematurity and sepsis, with the three accounting for >90% of
early neonatal deaths. Risk of perinatal death was increased in babies of mothers who were
unbooked or booked elsewhere, and those with antepartum haemorrhage, intrapartum
pyrexia, or pregnancy-induced hypertension. Furthermore, preterm babies as well as those
who were of extreme low birth weight were more likely to suffer perinatal death.
It is concluded that perinatal mortality rate is high in Abuja hospitals and the quality
of antenatal and intrapartum care services influences perinatal outcomes. Adoption of the
new WHO model of antenatal care based on four goal-oriented visits (focused ANC), as well
as taking steps to improve intrapartum maternal and foetal monitoring and early neonatal care
services in our hospitals could result in significant reduction in perinatal mortality.

PERINATAL MORTALITY IN SOME PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL