RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Two-year study of the causes of postperinatal deaths classified in terms of preventability.
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 668
OP 673
DO 10.1136/adc.57.9.668
VO 57
IS 9
A1 E M Taylor
A1 J L Emery
YR 1982
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/57/9/668.abstract
AB A detailed pathological and psychosocial study was made of all postperinatal (8 days-2 years) deaths in Sheffield during a 2-year period. The cause of death was classified from the point of view of possible prevention. Of the total of 65 deaths, 35 were unpreventable after the perinatal period, but 9 might have been preventable before birth. Of the 30 other deaths, 20 had evidence of possible treatable disease, and for the majority of these adverse social factors could be identified. Proved non-accidental injury occurred in 2 children and in 3 others there was a high degree of suspicion of 'gentle battering'. Only in 4 children was death unexplained and this apparently represents the local true unexplained cot death rate of 0.16/1000 births.