<b>Infant deaths, mother and assistance characteristics in northwestern Paraná State, Brazil, 1999 –2006</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v31i1.5220

Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize infant deaths according to the variables related to the mother, the child and the assistance provided. The study analyzed the deaths of children under one year of age, born alive in the city of Cianorte, Paraná State, in the period between 1999 and 2006. For data collection, the infant death inquiry records and the final analysis of the Regional Committee for the Prevention of Mother and Infant Mortality were used. The number of live births in the period was 7,076, and the investigated deaths were 88. It was verified that 95.5% of the mothers were involved in occupations of low qualification, 6,8% had not had any prenatal consultation, 80.7% of the deaths occurred in the neonatal period, 68.3% were caused by perinatal causes, 61.4% of the babies weighed less than 2,500 grams, and 70.5% of the deaths were considered preventable. The majority of the deaths were prevented with the improvement of prenatal, childbirth and newborn assistance, and with the guarantee of timely access by the mother and child to quality health services.