Perinatal mortality: Trends in prevalence and association with birth weight

Objective: Perinatal mortality is one of the key indicators of population health.Early neonatal mortality, being a component of perinatal mortality, reflects the quality of both obstetric and neonatal care through its level and structure.In this regard, the analysis of early neonatal losses is considered as a critical step in studying perinatal and infant mortality indicators.The aim of this study was to analyze perinatal mortality in order to assess early neonatal losses at the Kyrgyz Scientific Center for Human Reproduction.Methods: A retrospective cohort and descriptive study of the dynamics of perinatal mortality was conducted based on medical records of newborns at the Kyrgyz Scientific Center for Human Reproduction from 2016 to 2023.Results: The center recorded a general upward trend in the number of live births.Stillbirth rates showed a sharp increase in 2021; however, by 2023 they had decreased by 27.5% compared to 2016.The combined number of live and stillborn infants, used as an intermediate measure of perinatal losses, also demonstrated a wave-like trend.Early neonatal mortality remained relatively stable, from 8.80.7 per 1000 live births in 2016 to 7.8 (1.5) in 2023.The ratio between stillbirths and early neonatal deaths indicated an increase in early neonatal mortality relative to stillbirths.Late neonatal mortality declined by 33.4%.Overall, between 2016 and 2023, stillbirths decreased by 27.5%, early neonatal mortality by 11.4%, late neonatal mortality by 33.4%, and total perinatal mortality by 16.4%.The highest proportion of deaths due to low birth weight was observed in neonates weighing 500.0-999.0g and 1000.0-1499.0g, particularly during the years 2018 to 2022. Conclusion:The analysis of perinatal mortality at the Kyrgyz Scientific Center for Human Reproduction from 2016 to 2023 revealed a gradual decline in stillbirths, early, and late neonatal mortality, reflecting a positive trend in the organization of perinatal care.These findings highlight the need for continued improvement in prenatal diagnostics, antenatal monitoring, and neonatal care, particularly for high-risk groups, in alignment with WHO global priorities.Special emphasis should be placed on strengthening efforts aimed at achieving shared goals with the WHO: enhancing the capacity of the healthcare system during the perinatal period; improving the quality of care for mothers and newborns from pregnancy through the postpartum period; and advancing methods for monitoring, program implementation, and accurate registration of every newborn and every stillbirth.