Regionalized perinatal care in developing countries.
Neonatal-perinatal ill health and mortality are overwhelmingly a burden of the developing world. As many as 90% of births, 98% of fetal deaths and 98% of neonatal deaths occur in less developed countries. Regionalized perinatal services were introduced in developed countries when most neonatal mortality was confined to very-low-birthweight babies who required intensive perinatal care to survive. A large proportion of newborn morbidity and mortality in developing countries, however, continues to occur among full-term and moderate-sized low-birthweight neonates who can be managed well in the community and at small hospitals. The model of regionalized perinatal care as practiced in developed countries is, at present, neither affordable nor relevant to the needs of many developing countries. It is possible to achieve considerably lower neonatal mortality rates in resource-poor settings by implementing home-based newborn care delivered by community health workers, and by promoting institutional perinatal care at simple facilities provided by trained midwives.
Paul
Vinod K
VK
Department of Paediatrics, WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research in Newborn Care, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India. vinodpaul@neonatalhealth.com
Singh
Meharban
M
D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013019:South Africa; D013188:Sri Lanka