Analysis of perinatal mortality in a Nigerian teaching hospital

A 5-year retrospective analysis of perinatal mortality was carried out at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa Nigeria between January 1996 and December 2000. The perinatal mortality rate during the study period was 77.03 per 1000 total births. There was a steady increase in rate over the study period. The most common cause of perinatal death was asphyxia (55.2%), immaturity (23.1%), and macerated stillbirth (18.3%). The high incidence of unbooked patients, multiple pregnancies and low birth weight babies are the main reasons for the high perinatal mortality rates in our environment. Education of the public on danger signs of prolonged labour and regular retraining of health personnel on intrapartum care in addition to upgrading neonatal facilities are important measures necessary to reduce the currently high perinatal mortality rate in Nigeria.