Determinants of Perinatal Mortality in Tercha General Hospital, Southern Ethiopia; Facility Based Case Control Study.

Abstract Background: Ethiopia meets the target millennium development goal 4 on child survival three years ahead of time. However, there were high perinatal deaths in the country and the reduction was not impressive. Identifying determinants and implement evidence based interventions is crucial to reduce perinatal death. However, there were no clear evidences on determinants of perinatal mortality in Tercha General Hospital.Objective: To assess determinants of perinatal mortality in Tercha general hospital, Southern Ethiopia, January 1, 2014 and December 30, 2017.Method: An unmatched case control study using secondary data as a source of information was conducted in Tercha general hospital. Cases were stillbirths and early neonatal deaths. Controls were those newborns live till 7th days. Randomly selected 366 (183 cases and 183 controls) study subjects were constituted for this study. The data were collected from March 1-20/2018. Epi-Data version 3.1 and SPSS Version 23 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study population in relation to study variables. Logistic regressions were employed to identify determinants of perinatal death.Results: In multivariable logistic analysis, rural in residence of the mother [AOR=1.82; 95%CI:(1.04-3.19)], ANC booking [AOR=0.47; 95%CI:(0.27,0.83)], prolonged labour [AOR=2.75; 95%CI: (1.58-4.78)], low birth weight [AOR=1.78; 95%CI (1.06-2.97)], presence of obstetrics complication [AOR=2.15; 95%CI: (1.28-3.62)], using partograph [AOR=0.5; 95%CI: 0.25-0.9]. Using safe child birth checklist [AOR=0.52; 95%CI: 0.30-0.91], and coming with referral [(AOR=2.69; 95% CI: (1.51-4.8)] were significantly associated with perinatal mortality. Conclusion and Recommendation: Being rural in residence, coming with referral, low birth weight, prolonged labour and presence of obstetric complication were associated with elevated the risk of perinatal mortality, and antenatal care booking, using partograph and using safe childbirthchecklist were associated with reduced risk of perinatal mortality. We therefore, recommend strengthening maternal health and newborn care servicesby taking into account these factors to reduce perinatal death.