[Influence of prenatal control on maternal and perinatal morbidity/mortality in a 2nd-level hospital center]

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of prenatal care on maternal and perinatal morbi-mortality. The obstetrics hospitalizations from "Hospital General Regional, Orizaba, Veracruz" were reviewed from 1991 to 1992. 2595 patients were studied and classified according to the attendance or not to the prenatal care program. We analyzed data related to mother, child and obstetric care. 73% of women had prenatal care with 9.4% of complications. From the group without prenatal care 8.9% had complications. When we compared the demographic characteristics of groups, we found that they came from different populations, and it could explain the different percentage of complications. The most frequent maternal complications were membrane premature rupture, pregnancy toxemia (preeclampsia-eclampsia) and endometritis. There was no association between the frequency of product complications with attendance to prenatal care program (OR = 1.4, CI = 1.05-2.09). The group without prenatal care had higher premature rate.