Perinatal mortality in rural Punjab--a population-based study

The results of a population-based case-control study are reported to examine the factors affecting perinatal mortality in rural Punjab, during the period 1991-1996. There were 91 perinatal deaths in 2424 of the pregnant women registered. The perinatal mortality rate was 34.57/1000 and the stillbirth rate was 30.94/1000. Odds ratio, 95 per cent confidence interval, prevalence and population attributable risk percent were calculated for the various risk factors; of the risk factors studied, material weight less than 40 kg, height less than 152 cm, body mass index < 20, illiteracy, a birth to conception interval less than 100 weeks, prematurity, late registration and home delivery were found to be significant on univariate analysis. When subjected to multiple logistic regression, the full model identified the significance of all the risk factors except late registration. However on the final model, only prematurity and short birth-interval were found to be significant. The highest population attributable risk, 35.16 per cent, was observed for prematurity.