Background: Perinatal morbidity (PNM) is highest in the developing countries including Kenya. Studies on the perinatal morbidity in Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) have not been carried out. Furthermore, factors associated with PNM are unknown at the MTRH.
Objective: To establish the causes and incidence of perinatal morbidity at the MTRH NewBorn Unit (NBU).
Design: A retrospective study using case notes.
Setting: The NBU of the MTRH in Eldoret, Kenya.
Subjects: Babies who were admitted to the MTRH's Newborn Unit from January to December 1997.
Results: The perinatal morbidity was 667 per 1000 babies admitted to the NBU. The most common reason for admission was mother under anaesthesia. The most common cause of morbidity was asphyxia. The mean maternal age was 24 years. The mean level of education was 1.7 years. More than fifty five per cent of the mothers were housewives. The mean birthweight was 2.75 kg (+/- 0.9 SD), 55.9% had normal birthweight, 37% were low birthweight and three per cent were large babies. The mean duration of stay in the NBU was 3.8 days.
Conclusion: Most of the admissions were Caesarean section babies who did not require admission. Younger mothers were more likely to have babies with neonatal sepsis, convulsions, pneumonia and asphyxia.