A Clinical Audit of Mortality and its Major Causes in Children from Birth to 24 Months of Age in the Gowal Mandi Area Lahore – Pakistan

Abstract

Background:  Perinatal mortality is the index of the available obstetric and perinatal services in a com-munity concerned. There is limited available data re-garding perinatal mortality in Pakistan. A study was conducted to assess mortality patterns according to age and its major causes in children from birth to 24 mon-ths of age.

Methods:  This community based descriptive case series study was conducted in Gowal Mandi area Lahore, from Jan 1997 to Jan 2007. Pregnant women were registered and their offsprings were followed for two years by fourteen visits at specific time points. If any death occurred in the intervening period, verbal autopsy was used to diagnose the main cause of death.

Results:  A total of 934 mothers were registered, out of which 10 had still births. The mortality rate in first two years is 49.9 / 1000 live births. Maximum deaths (33%) occurred in first three days and 60% in 28 days. The number of deaths per 1000 live births from birth to 24 months of age is 49.9 per 1000 live births. The major causes of death were Asphyxia Neonatorum (20%), Birth trauma (13%) and Aspiration (11%).

Conclusion:  This study shows a high mortality rate in the earliest age, 33% deaths occurred in first three days of life and 80% deaths were observed in first three months. The major causes of deaths were Asphy-xia neonatorum (20%), birth trauma (13%) and aspi-ration (11%).

Key Words:  Age Specific child Mortality, Asphyxia Neonatorum, Causes of child Mortality. A Clinical audit of mortality and its major causes in children from birth to 24 months of age in the Gowal Mandi area Lahore Pakistan.