Maternal and perinatal health position in the State of S. Paulo, Brazil

The assistance offered during pregnancy and labour as also to the newborn child, and its relationship to maternal and perinatal mortality in the State of S. Paulo in 1984, is analysed on the basis of official available data. With respect to prenatal care the number of visits per woman was considered...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Tanaka, Ana Cristina d'Andretta, Siqueira, Arnaldo Augusto Franco de, Bafile, Paulo Nogueira
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:1989
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
Repositorio:Revista de Saúde Pública
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:revistas.usp.br:article/23553
Acceso en línea:https://www.revistas.usp.br/rsp/article/view/23553
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Assistência pré-natal
Parto
Mortalidade materna
Mortalidade perinatal
Saúde materno-infantil
Prenatal care
Delivery
Maternal mortality
Perinatal mortality
Maternal and child health
Descripción
Sumario:The assistance offered during pregnancy and labour as also to the newborn child, and its relationship to maternal and perinatal mortality in the State of S. Paulo in 1984, is analysed on the basis of official available data. With respect to prenatal care the number of visits per woman was considered to be "sufficient" though of doubtful quality. The proportion of cesarean sections was very high (46.2%). Maternal mortality was found to be 4.86 deaths per 10,000 live births, but despite its being high, this figure is certainly too low and the correct figure is probably twice as high. The principal cause of maternal deaths is toxemia in pregnancy, followed by hemorrhage and abortion. Most of these deaths could have been avoided with care during pregnancy and labour. The rate of perinatal mortality was found to be 29.2 deaths per thousand births in 1984. This figure is also very high. The analysis of the causes of death for this period showed that the disorders which arose during the perinatal period were responsible for 90 per cent of the total number of deaths. The main causes of death in this group were the intra-uterine hypoxias and anoxias, asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome and massive aspiration syndrome. These data bring to light the poor quality of the care offered to this group. The authors trust that the new policy of the Decentralized and Unified System of Health will take the quality of care as much as the integration of services into consideration with a view to overcoming the precarious maternal and perinatal health situation in S. Paulo.