title: Asphyxia-related infant mortality rates.
abstract: We present an epidemiological study of asphyxia-related infant mortality. Via linkage of birth and death certificates, infant mortality data were analyzed for all infants born in Israel from 1985 through 1988. During this period, there were 397,083 live births in Israel, and 4392 infants subsequently died within the first year of life (total infant death rate of 11.1/1000 live births). Of the deaths, 176 (4.0%) were associated with a diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia, resulting in an overall asphyxia-related infant mortality rate of 0.44/1000 live births. The percent of deaths attributable to asphyxia was calculated by birthweight, maternal age, and birth order and was compared with overall infant mortality rates analyzed for the same variables. Interesting results include the following: (1) Asphyxia-related mortality within the low birthweight group was proportional to overall birthweight-specific mortality for that group; (2) birthweight more than 4.5 kg disproportionately increased the risk of asphyxia-related mortality; and (3) perinatal asphyxia did not add to the risk of mortality subsequent to teenage pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hammerman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zadka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000401:mortality*; D001719:Birth Certificates; D001722:Birth Order; D001724:Birth Weight; D003644:Death Certificates; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008423:Maternal Age