NATIONAL PERINATAL MORTALITY DERNA/LIBYA

Soad Ajroud, Raga A. Elzahaf*, Abdullatif Amneenah and Ahmed Alzurqi

ABSTRACT

Background: Perinatal mortality is a public health as well as a development problem in low-income and middle-income countries. Perinatal mortality is an important outcome indicator for country’s socioeconomic situation, quality of life and directly mirrors the quality of prenatal, intra partum, and newborn care. Objective: To estimate the perinatal mortality and the cause in Derna, Libya. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from 2019 to2022 at antenatal word and special baby care unit in Derna hospital, Libya. Results: There was a total of 11717 deliveries over the four years. The overall perinatal mortality rate was 23.89 per 1000 births. Overall, congenital anomalies related conditions were the most common probable cause of perinatal mortality 37.14% over the study period follow by immaturity 28.9% and antepartum death (IUGR, DM, unexplained) 22.8%. Conclusions The study revealed relatively high perinatal mortality rate. So, national perinatal mortality audits are important in identifying contributory factors and making recommendations to address these.

Keywords: Perinatal mortality, Still birth, Derna, Libya.