title: Persistence of perinatal mortality due to congenital malformations in resource-poor settings.
abstract: Every year, half a million babies are born with malformations, one-third of these life-threatening. The present study aims at analysing trends of perinatal mortality (PM) due to major congenital malformations (MCM) at a rural institute, for preventive possibilities. Records of all perinatal deaths due to MCM over 24 years were analysed. Perinatal deaths (PD) due to MCM were 346; overall 8.3% of PD (287 (82.94%) stillbirths; 59 (17.06%) neonatal deaths). There was a decreasing trend of contribution of MCM to PM: 9.52% in Block A to 6.95% in Block H; 26.87% of PD were due to nervous system anomalies: 3.76% in Block A to 2.02% in Block H. PM due to congenital heart disease increased from 0.87% in Block A to 6.94% in Block H. It is essential that a system exists to diagnose MCM at a gestation when abortion is possible. Research for prevention of anomalies needs to be continued.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. chhabra_s@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chhabra
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Darwade
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dhawde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D054238:Perinatal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012423:Rural Health / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult