The changing pattern of perinatal mortality and causes of death in central Anatolian region of Turkey.

In this study, the perinatal mortality is presented in 2009 compared to 1998. Changing patterns of the perinatal mortality rate (PNMR), the stillbirth rate (SBR), early neonatal mortality rate (ENMR) and the causes of the perinatal mortality in Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital (ZTBH) were described. This is the largest maternity hospital of Ankara in the central Anatolian region of Turkey. The total deliveries were 22,777 and 18,567 in 1998 and 2009, respectively. PNMR was 27.7 per 1000, and SBR was 23.7 per 1000 total births. ENMR was 4 per 1000 in 1998. PNMR is 20.7 per 1000, and SBR was 16.3 per 1000 and ENMR was 4.6 per 1000 total births in 2009. It is important to know the causes of mortality. In this study, the causes of perinatal deaths were classified according to the Wigglesworth classification. Antepartum stillbirth (62.3%) was the most frequent cause in 1998. Perinatal asphyxia is the majority (46.6%) of the perinatal deaths in 2009. This study shows that even prenatal care is getting better, obstetric care as well as close follow-up throughout the intrapartum period and diminishing the preterm delivery rate is also important for preventing and reducing perinatal mortality.