Low birth weight and perinatal mortality in Latin American maternity facilities

Data were prospectively collected on 333794 consecutive births of infants weighing at least 500 g between 1976 and 1981 in 59 public hospitals in 11 Latin American countries for a study of low birth weight. The study population was generally of low socioeconomic status. The incidence of low birth weight ranged from 4.6% to 14.8% and averaged 9% in the 59 hospitals. The incidence of very low birth weight (under 1500 g) varied from .6-2.6% and averaged 1.2%. The overall rate of intermediate and late fetal mortality for babies weighing 500 g or more was 19.0/1000 and the late fetal mortality rate for babies weighing at least 1000 g was 15.9/1000. The overall rate of early neonatal mortality was 16.0/1000 for newborns weighing 500 g or more and 12.3/1000 for those weighing 1000 g or more. The rates are much higher than in developed countries. 610 of each 1000 very low birth weight babies died in the 59 Latin American hospitals. 78% of the early neonatal deaths were associated with low birth weight and 47% were related to very low birth weight proportions similar to those in developed countries. A reduction in the number of low birth weight newborns would contribute greatly to improvement of early neonatal mortality rates in Latin America.