Comparison of perinatal outcome in rural Tanzania as obtained from a prospective community-based survey and hospital data.

The objective of this study was to measure perinatal mortality rate (PMR), percentage of low birth weight (LBW) and twinning rate, as obtained from a prospective community-based survey and hospital data. The community survey was performed in five villages in North-western Tanzania recruiting 447 pregnant women, while the study in the local District Hospital included 3,056 hospital deliveries. PMR was 68/1,000 in the community survey and 96/1,000 births in hospital. Stillbirths accounted for 81% of perinatal mortality in hospital as compared to 41% in the community-based survey. Percentages of LBW were 9.9 and 14.6 and twinning rates were 14/1,000 and 39/1,000 births in the community study and hospital, respectively. Perinatal mortality, low birth weight and twinning rates in hospital were higher than in the community survey. Estimations of perinatal outcome in hospital cannot be extrapolated to the community concerned.