BIBLIOGRAPHIC INPUT SHEET TEMPORARY Patterns of mortality ...

ChapterXII. Reproductive Patterns 255
The following are two highly probable explanations
for these high percentages of
losses in previous pregnancies. First, the
mothers of deceased children had experienced
excessive pregnancy loss because they
constitute a group of women who are vulnerable
to diseases or conditions unfavorable
for survival of the product. Another
explanation is that the pregnancy was not
desired and the abortions were provoked in
some of the instances. In this Investigation
no attempt was made to find out about induced
abortions. However, several hospital
records indicated that some of the neonatal
deaths in the Investigation were in
fact the result of procedures used to terminate
the pregnancy. Therefore it is likely
that these high percentages of products resuiting
in fetal deaths may be in part due
to abortive procedures. It is clear that the
highest percentages were usually in the
areas with the lower birth rates.
INFANT MORTALITY IN PRODUCTS OF PREVIOUS PREGNANCIES
The infant death rates among products of
previous pregnancies were much higher than
those found in the Investigation, as is shown
in Table 155 and Figure 128 for 14 projects.
In several projects infant mortality
among the previous products of mothers was
twice as high as in the Investigation. For
example in Recife, while the rate in the
Investigation was 91.2 per 1,000 live births,
for previous products of those mothers it
was 204.4. In all three projects in Brazil the
relationship was of this order. In the Investigation
in Sdo Paulo the rate was 65.1
and in previous products 130.1. Actually in
eight of the 14 projects the infant death rate
was around twice as high in previous products
as in the Investigation. Part of the
explanation is that these areas had experienced
high infant mortality in the past
when many of these deaths occurred. Also,
these mothers were perhaps particularly
vulnerable because of their biologic or socioenvironmental
conditions.
In Sherbrooke the rate in previous products
was 69.7, or nearly four times the rate
in the Investigation (18.3). Although the
Fia. 128. Infant Mortality in the InvesLigation and in Products of Previous Pregnancies
of Mothers of Deceased Children in 14 Projects.
DEATHS PER 1.000 LIVE SIRTHS
DEATHS PEE 1,000 LIVE 8ITHS
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INVSTIGATION
PREVIOUS PRODUCTS
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