Dynamic analysis of infant mortality rate due to asphysia in two decades

Objective To investigate the epidemiological trend of infant mortality due to asphyxia.Methods Indicators of economical development were used to describe the neonatal asphyxia mortality rate in city of Rugao from 1991 to 2010.Results The average mortality rate of neonatal asphyxia was 153.21 per 100 000 over the past two decades.Neonatal asphyxia which accounts for 21.44%of neonatal death is the number one cause of neonatal mortality and the fourth cause of infant mortality.Among neonatal asphyxia related death:51.25%occurred on the day of birth,and 92.80% within seven days of life.Babies who were delivered in rural primary hospitals account for 78.95%of the asphyxia related infant mortality and among themm,85.87%babies passed away during hospital stays. The neonatal asphyxia related mortality rate had consistent decrease during 1991-2000 with an average annual reduction rate of 10.8 per 100 000 per year.During the following decade,the trend of the neonatal asphyxia infant mortality rate fluctuates and had an average rate increase of 0.07 per 100 000 per year.Conclusions Rural primary hospitals are key players in the prevention and treatment of neonatal asphyxia and in reduction of infant mortality rate.