Resumen

CORDERO VALDIVIA, Dilberth et al. Verbal autopsy: a tool to determine the causes of stillbirths and stillbirths in the community. Rev. bol. ped. [online]. 2008, vol.47, n.3, pp.144-154. ISSN 1024-0675.

Objectives: this study, in health networks in urban and rural Bolivia (El Alto, Potosí and Cochabamba) had the following objectives: to know the biological and social causes of stillbirths and neonatal mortality, the proportion of preventable deaths and analyze the process of each neonatal death. Methods: the study was cross-sectional and descriptive, non-probability sampling. Used the questionnaire developed by WHO in 2003, with minor adjustments and developed a social autopsy instrument. For the identification of 'cases' were organized networks of community informants. Data were analyzed by a panel of experts and was introduced in a database. Results: we studied 88 stillbirths and 137 infants died during the first 28 days of life. The leading causes of death were: perinatal asphyxia (stillbirths) and infections (alive new born babies). "Social" causes were the lack of recognition of the problem by the caregiver and the inappropriate handling of the health care provider. According to the expert panels, the preventability of deaths was 85% and 96% for stillbirths and newborns respectively. Conclusions: verbal autopsy, complemented by social autopsy, provides important inputs for the local analysis of neonatal deaths and of stillbirths, which facilitates the development of interventions appropriate to different contexts. The definition of 'preventable mortality' needs to be better developed. Strategies to reduce neonatal and perinatal mortality, as well as being based on evidence, must be feasible and should be implemented to respond to local needs.

Palabras clave : autopsy; stillbirth and neonatal mortality.

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