BACKGROUND: Perinatal mortality is reported to be five times higher in developing than in developed
nations. Little is known about the commonly associated risk factors for perinatal mortality in Southern
Nations National Regional State of Ethiopia.
METHODS: A case control study for perinatal mortality was conducted in University hospital between
2008 and 2010. Cases were stillbirths and early neonatal deaths. Controls were those live newborns till
discharged from the hospital. Subgroup binary logistic regression analyses were done to identify
associated risk factors for perinatal mortality, stillbirths and early neonatal deaths.
RESULTS: A total of 1356 newborns (452 cases and 904 controls) were included in this analysis. The
adjusted perinatal mortality rate was 85/1000 total delivery. Stillbirths accounted for 87% of total
perinatal mortality. The proportion of hospital perinatal deaths was 26%. Obstructed labor was
responsible for more than one third of perinatal deaths. Adjusted odds ratios revealed that obstructed
labor, malpresentation, preterm birth, antepartum hemmorrhage and hypertensive disorders of
pregnancy were independent predictors for high perinatal mortality. In the subgroup analysis, among
others, obstructed labor and antepartum hemorrhage found to have independent association with both
stillbirths and early neonatal deaths.
CONCLUSION: The perinatal mortality rate was more than two fold higher than the estimated national
perinatal mortality;and obstructed labor, malpresentation, preterm birth, antepartum hemmorrhage and
hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were independent predictors. The reason for the poor progress of
labor and developing obstructed labor is an area of further investigation.