Muhammad Ayaz Mustufa, Afroze Ramzan Sherali, Syed Furqan Hassan.
Verbal autopsy of neonates brought dead in emergency department of a tertiary care hospital.
Pak J Med Res Jan ;47(3):62-5.

Objective: To determine the possible causes and characteristics of deaths in neonates using verbal information collected from parents / care givers. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at emergency department of National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, over a period of one year from December 2002 to December 2003. The parents or care givers of brought dead neonates in emergency department were interviewed and data recorded on structured verbal autopsy form/questionnaire. Results: A total of 135 newborn babies were brought dead in emergency department during the study period. Majority (78.51%) of them were males, most of the babies (81.48%) were delivered at different health facilities and the mode of delivery was spontaneous vaginal in 74% cases. More than 90% babies were low birth weight. About 65% cases were referred by hospital staff or doctors whereas 35% were brought by parents themselves. Majority of babies did not receive first aid treatment (newborn resuscitation) at their place of delivery and were brought dead in emergency within first 24 hours of life. Majority of babies were brought via public transport while, 37% were brought in ambulance. Conclusions: Antenatal / perinatal services and care in different health care facilities are unsatisfactory, and majority of babies did not receive first aid treatment at their place of delivery. Training programs and workshops about essential newborn care and care of low birth weight should be carried out for health care providers and mothers.

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