Contribution of sexually transmitted diseases and socioeconomic factors to perinatal mortality in rural Ghana

• Published in: International journal of dermatology Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 27 - 30
• Main Authors: Bouwhuis, Saskia A., Davis, Mark D. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2004; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatology; Female; Ghana - epidemiology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Medical sciences; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Rural Population; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - mortality; Socioeconomic Factors; Ghana; Africa; Human; Infection; Sexually transmitted disease; Rural environment; Newborn; Socioeconomic status; Dermatology; Mortality; Perinatal; Epidemiology; Public health
• ISSN: 0011-9059; 1365-4632
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.01841.x

Background  The infant mortality rate is higher in sub‐Saharan Africa than in other developing regions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and socioeconomic and obstetric factors with perinatal mortality in rural Ghana. Methods  Perinatal mortality data were collected from 154 patient records of the outpatient and inpatient gynecology department of a rural Ghanaian setting in 1997. All women attended the antenatal care unit of the hospital at least once before delivery, where they were screened for common STDs, including syphilis, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. Patients’ socioeconomic characteristics and previous obstetric complications were recorded. Results  The rate of perinatal mortality at the Holy Family Hospital in the Berekum district of Ghana was 13.7% in 1997 (154 of 1123 documented births). Characteristics of mothers whose infants died in the perinatal period and who had attended antenatal care at least once were as follows: prior obstetric complications, 108 patients (70.1%); average age, 25 years (range: 16–42 years); average number of previous sexual partners, three; prevalence of STDs, including gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, or syphilis, 83 patients (53.8%); history of other chronic diseases, 13 patients (8.5%); and illiteracy, 66 patients (42.8%). The number of previous sexual partners and illiteracy were higher in the STD‐positive women. Conclusions  Sexually transmitted diseases and previous obstetric complications seemed to contribute considerably to perinatal mortality in rural Ghana.