BIBLIOGRAPHIC INPUT SHEET TEMPORARY Patterns of mortality ...

Chapter V. Infant Mortality
89
Fic. 41. Percentage of Infants Dying in Postneonatal Period with Birth
Weights of 3,000 Grams or Less in 16 Areas of 15 Projects.
PERCENT
PER CENT
0 20 40 60 s0 0 20 40 60 so
IL SALVADOR 11URAL
218 11A MO N.
20 DAYS 5 MONTHS I 6-11 MONTHS
SANSALVADOR .. . . , ___ ._.. . . . . ., ­
,I
111[1110 PatiO icilY)
ILIN
N OU
CALl
SIOPAUiLO
MIT.KINGSTON
SANTIAGO
CALIIOllNIA PROJECT
*ESISIKN CIA
CARIA6A :3
SANJUARPROVINCEB
i
in El Salvador and also La Paz and the city spite of these limitations, and admitting the
of Ribeirflo Pr~to more than 70 per cent of possibility that in certain areas infants with
the deceased infants in this age period had very low weight have better chances of
birth weights of 3,000 gramns or less. For surviving the first 28 days of life, the difinfants
dying in the second half of the first ferences indicate thle urgent nced for conyear
of life the percentages ranged from ducting studies onl birth weight and sur­
68.2 in rural El Salvador and 65.6 in La Paz vival. In such studies and in programs of
to 33.9 in San Juan Province. In La Paz health care, infants in the weight group
and areas of El Salvador low proportions of 2501-3000 gramns may need more attention
these infants dlying in the postneonatal than has been given in the past.
period were in the birth weight group 3,600 In areas in which :iutritional (deficiency is
grains and over (less than 10 per cent). In common, envirominental condlitions unfavorcontrast,
in seven projects from 20.6 to 32.4 able, and b~irth rates 'nighi, imothers may be
per cent were infants with such birth giving birth to small babies. These infants
weights. Although it is possible that there may continue to be ait greater risk of dying
are ethnic differences and well-developed in- in the lpostneonatal periodl (if they (10 not
fants may weigh less in certain areas, the (lie earlier) because of their reduced
frequency of nutritional deficiency as an vitality and unfavorable environment.
associated cause combined with lower birth In summary, infant mortality is excessive
weights indicates the need for thorough in thle Latin American pr'ojects. Infectious
study thle condition of the newborn.
and respiratory diseases as well as certain
These analyses have been made using lpelinatal causes, are the p~rinc'ipal groups of
the weights available and do not represent underlying causes of death. H-owever, when
the totality of postneonatal deaths in each multiple causes are analyzed the important
project. For several areas numbers were role of nutritional deficiency and immatusmall,
and it was necessary to restrict data rity as associated causes becomes clear. The
to cities except for the San JIuan Province, dlistribution of infant deaths by birth weight
El Salvador, and California projects. In suggests that the health of thle mother, in­