Perinatal mortality in southern Italy

Perinatal deaths occurring in the Campania region of southern Italy in 1982 were analysed. The perinatal mortality rate was 17.6 per thousand (stillbirth rate 8.3, early neonatal mortality rate 9.3). Compared with Swedish data, our deaths excess does not seem attributable to an unfavourable birthweight distribution, but to high birthweight mortality rates in every birthweight category and particularly in the normal birthweight group (greater than 2500 g). This group of newborns, representing about 94% of the births, contributes 45.4% of perinatal deaths; this situation is not common in developed countries, where the normal birthweight newborns form a much smaller proportion of perinatal deaths. The analysis of the causes of perinatal mortality, even though autopsies are rarely executed in Campania, shows a high prevalence of events which should be prevented by good antenatal and perinatal care.