title: Neonatal and post-neonatal mortality in the Galle district.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine some factors associated with infant mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Galle district in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  350 infant deaths of singleton births.
  
  
  METHODS
  Association between variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neonatal:post-neonatal death ratio was 3.2:1, and 62.3% (218) were early neonatal deaths. First day deaths comprised 28.6% (100); 67.8% (237) died at the Teaching Hospital. A high incidence (65.7%) of low birthweight (LBW) was noted. Mean birthweights of neonates and post-neonates were 1925 +/- 729 and 2520 +/- 620 gram respectively, and the difference between means was statistically significant (p < 0.001). LBW and related disorders were the major cause of death in 44% (154) of the total sample, and in 55.8% (149) of neonates. Infections were the commonest cause (55.8%) of death in post-neonates. Pediatric clinical assessment to differentiate small-for-dates (SFD) was not recorded in 90.3%. Statistically significant associations were found between the period of death (neonatal and post-neonatal) and the following variables: period of gestation (p < 0.001); birthweight (p < 0.001) and cause of death (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high incidence of neonatal deaths and a high proportion of early neonatal deaths. About one-third of deaths occurred on the first day of life. Incidence of LBW was high. The major cause of death was LBW and related disorders in the total sample and in neonates. Assessment of SFD was not carried out in the vast majority of infants.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Galle.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fonseka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wijewardene
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Harendra de Silva
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goonaratna
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Wijeyasiri
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology