Perinatal mortality at the Ogun State University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.

A study of perinatal mortality at the Ogun State University Teaching Hospital during the first 30 months (March 1989 to August, 1991) of the establishment of a separate neonatal unit was made. One-hundred-and-sixty-two (87.5/1000) of the 1852 deliveries were stillborn and 60 (35.5/1000) of the 1690 live births died in the early neonatal period. The overall perinatal mortality rate was 119.9/1000 deliveries. Of stillbirths, 82 per cent occurred in unbooked mothers and were diagnosed at presentation. The major causes of stillbirths were teenage pregnancy, elderly motherhood, high maternal parity, and prolonged, obstructed labour. The major causes of early neonatal death were low birth weight, breech delivery, and severe birth asphyxia. The need for increased utilization, improvement, and regionalization of antenatal and perinatal services is emphasized.