Trends of Perinatal Deaths at Ramathibodi Hospital: 1995-2005
Patama Promsonthi MD*, Pratak O-Prasertsawat MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
Objective : To study the trends in perinatal mortality rate and causes of perinatal deaths at Ramathibodi
Hospital from 1995 to 2005
Design : Retrospective descriptive study
Materials and Methods : Review of medical records and reports during academic activities
Results : The perinatal mortality rate was 5.10 per 1,000 births. Stillbirth and early neonatal death rate were
3.45 and 1.65 per 1,000 births, respectively. The most common cause of death was macerated fetus (46.80%).
Causes of death from congenital anomalies, immaturity, asphyxia and specific conditions were 20.89%, 9.47%,
8.08% and 14.76%, respectively.
Conclusion : The perinatal mortality rate at Ramathibodi Hospital has declined from 6.70 in 1985 to 5.10 per
1,000 births and remained steady for the last 11 years. Future progress in reducing perinatal deaths requires
better understanding of the etiology of stillbirth to improve the strategies for prevention.
Keywords : Perinatal mortality rate, Cause of death
