Perinatal mortality in the Cape Province, 1989-1991.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the number of deliveries, the low-birth-weight rate and the perinatal mortality rate at provincial and province-aided hospitals and clinics in each planning region of the Cape Province.

DESIGN

A record of the number of deliveries, low-birth-weight infants, stillbirths and early neonatal deaths in provincial and province-aided hospitals and clinics in each planning region of the Cape Province between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 1991.

SETTING

All provincial and province-aided hospitals and clinics in the Cape Province.

PARTICIPANTS

Hospital and clinic staff of all provincial and province-aided hospitals and clinics in the Cape Province.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURED

Number of deliveries, low-birth-weight infants, stillbirths and early neonatal deaths in each planning region of the Cape Province.

RESULTS

A total of 373,768 births were recorded during the 3-year period with a low-birth-weight rate of 14.7%, a stillbirth rate of 17.9 per 1,000 and an early neonatal mortality rate of 9.1 per 1,000. All rates differed widely between regions. The regions with the highest perinatal mortality rates were in the northern and eastern Cape.

CONCLUSION

The perinatal demographics of most regions in the Cape Province are typical of a developing country. Regions which have been identified as having the highest low-birth-weight, stillbirth and early neonatal mortality rates are in greatest need of improved perinatal health care.