Early child health in Lahore, Pakistan: IX. Perinatal events |
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Authors: | F Jalil BS Lindblad LÅ Hanson SR Khan M Yaqoob J Karlberg |
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Institution: | Departments of Social and Preventive Pediatrics;Pediatrics, King Edward Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan;Departments of Pediatrics of the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan and of the Karolinska Institute at St. Göran's Children's Hospital, Stockholm;Department of Clinical Immunology, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;Department of Paediatrics, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong |
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Abstract: | In Pakistan there are a number of acute problems related to maternal and infant health in the perinatal period. There is also lack of reliable data needed for the formulation of action strategies. To provide a database 1490 women have been followed from the 5th month of pregnancy in four different areas at various levels of urbanization and socio-economic development. After adjusting for gestational age, the proportion of newborns with weight for length < -2SDS in relation to the Swedish National Standard was 12–31% for boys and 12–25% for girls, the figure being highest in the most deprived area. Preterm birth was infrequent compared with IUGR. The overall prevalence rate of birth defects was 21% out of which 8% were severe defects. The overall perinatal mortality rate was 56/1000 births, with rates of 60, 75, 36 and 33/1000 births for the village, periurban slum, urban slum and the upper middle class. Two thirds of the deaths were related to either a continuation of intrauterine disturbances or severe congenital defects incompatible with life. One third of the deaths were due to infection; mostly diarrhoea, clinical sepsis and ARI. Neonatal mortality was significantly related to birth length (<-2SDS, odds ratio 5.5) and length of gestation (<37 weeks, odds ratio 5.6) and was to a lesser extent related to weight (<-2SDS, odds ratio 2.0) and weight for length (<-2SDS, odds ratio 1.3). Forty percent of the mothers had weight for height below -2SDS, 23–35% had height <-2SDS. Forty percent of mothers from a subset within the cohort had a hemoglobin < 10 gm/dl and 20% showed signs of pre-eclampsia. This presentation raises the issue of expanding the current Child Survival Programs into the perinatal period as well. |
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Keywords: | Perinatal events maternal factors developing country mortality birth weight birth length maternal height maternal weight |
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