Causes and avoidability of perinatal deaths in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais

Abstract

The death investigation is an important resource to elucidate its causes and circumstances. This study aims at to analyze the causes, the potential avoidability and the occurrence of assistance errors in perinatal deaths registered in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. We analyzed fetal and early neonatal deaths that had been investigated by the Death Prevention Committee of Belo Horizonte between 2003 and 2007. Variables included type and moment of death, birth weight, gestational age, basic cause of death and death avoidability according to Wigglesworth's classification. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze data. In the mentioned period 728 deaths were investigated by the Committee, which corresponds to 26.9% of the total perinatal deaths registered in the city. Half of the cases had normal weight and normal gestational age at the moment of birth. Almost all basic causes of death (97%) were related to perinatal pathologies. According to Wigglesworth's classification, antepartum and asphyxia deaths were avoidable. Assistance errors were identified in 84.5% of the cases, most frequently during prenatal care and less frequently during birth care. The investigation of these deaths shows a potential avoidability and a high number of assistance errors, and contributes to the planning of preventive measures.