Premium
Neonatal neurological morbidity in relation to obstetrical and social conditions in Grenada (Caribbean)
Author(s) -
Atsma A.W.,
Berntsen S.F.,
Scheenstra R.,
HaddersAlgra M.,
Boersma E.R.,
Huisjes H.J.,
Touwen B.C.L.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/0020-7292(90)90111-w
Subject(s) - medicine , perinatal mortality , cohort , pediatrics , concomitant , pregnancy , obstetrics , fetus , surgery , genetics , biology
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.