Trends, Patterns and Cause-Specific Determinant Of Perinatal Mortality at Geita Regional Referral Hospital In Tanzania: A Hospital-Based Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background Perinatal mortality is a sensitive issue that concerns the lives of newborn babies. In Tanzania, the perinatal mortality rate is high, accounting for 38/1000 live births. Objective A study titled "Patterns, Trends, and Specific Determinants of Perinatal Mortality" was conducted at Geita Regional Referral Hospital in 2023/24. Results The study found that several factors were significantly associated with perinatal deaths, including premature complication, severe birth asphyxia, unknown factors, neonatal sepsis, and aspiration pneumonia, anemia in pregnancy, eclampsia, pre-eclampsia, and malaria in pregnancy. Recommendation: The study recommended several measures, including using Community Health Care workers and FHCWs to offer health education on focused antenatal care and safe motherhood, improving ANC clinics, providing proper and increased allocation of human resources, and allowing trained nurses or anesthetists to perform caesarian sections. Pregnant women should also be alerted about their subsequent visit/appointment. Motivations, coating folic acid tablets and combining them with antiemetics to become user-friendly, additionally, traditional medicine labs should take samples of local herbs used by pregnant mothers to detect their chemical compositions and provide advice accordingly. In conclusion Reducing perinatal mortality in the Geita region requires a multisectoral approach and more investment we can make save the lives of many newborn babies