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Perinatal mortality in southern Italy
Author(s) -
Pisacane Alfredo,
Quagliata Luigi,
Scarpellino Benedetto,
Mendes Claudia,
Latino Anna,
Volpicelli Giuseppina,
Coppola Angelo,
Mazzarella Gianfranco
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.667
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3016
pISSN - 0269-5022
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3016.1991.tb00684.x
Subject(s) - medicine , perinatal mortality , neonatal mortality , infant mortality , mortality rate , pediatrics , demography , obstetrics , pregnancy , population , environmental health , fetus , genetics , sociology , biology
Summary. Perinatal deaths occurring in the Campania region of southern Italy in 1982 were analysed. The perinatal mortality rate was 17.6 per thousand (stillbirth rate 8.3, early neonatal mortality rate 9.3). Compared with Swedish data, our deaths excess does not seem attributable to an unfavourable birthweight distribution, but to high birthweight mortality rates in every birthweight category and particularly in the normal birthweight group (>2500 g). This group of newborns, representing about 94% of the births, contributes 45.4% of perinatal deaths; this situation is not common in developed countries, where the normal birthweight newborns form a much smaller proportion of perinatal deaths. The analysis of the causes of perinatal mortality, even though autopsies are rarely executed in Campania, shows a high prevalence of events which should be prevented by good antenatal and perinatal care.