Effects of Residence on Perinatal and Neonatal Mortality

Background: Perinatal and neonatal mortality rates are critical indicators of the quality and effectiveness of health services within a community and are often reflective of a country’s developmental status. This study aimed to assess the impact of place of residence on perinatal and neonatal mortality in Babylon Governorate, Iraq. Method: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Imam Al-Sadiq Hospital, including 151 perinatal and neonatal deaths. The patients were categorized into two groups according to their residence: rural and urban. Several demographic and clinical parameters were evaluated, including gender, age at death, birth weight, maternal age, gestational age, type of delivery, number of births, and causes of death. Results: revealed that mortality was significantly higher among neonates from rural areas (72.85%) compared to those from urban areas (27.15%). Rural residence was strongly associated with a greater proportion of extremely low birth weight infants, representing a statistically significant difference compared to the urban group. Moreover, the causes of death varied by residence: respiratory distress syndrome predominated in rural areas, whereas sepsis was the leading cause of mortality in urban settings. Conclusion: place of residence exerts a substantial influence on perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Rural residency was linked to higher mortality, largely associated with low birth weight and respiratory complications. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions, improved maternal and neonatal healthcare access, and better preventive strategies in rural regions to reduce mortality rates and enhance neonatal survival.