Perinatal mortality in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi

During the one year period from 1st January to 31st December, 1989, there were 6,826 deliveries and 695 perinatal deaths, of these 553 were still-born and 142 were neonatal deaths (died within 7 days of birth). The perinatal mortality rate was 101.8 per thousand total births. The still-birth rate was 81 per thousand total births. Of the perinatal deaths, 7.9% occurred in booked and 92.1% in non-booked cases. The commonest cause of death was antepartum haemorrhage (APH), 24.2% followed by mechanical which accounted for 23.6% deaths. Abruptio placentae was the leading cause among all still-births and low-birth weight (LBW) in all neonatal deaths.