74.  Bargouthi. M, Kalter H,Rahil R,Odeh M, Health Development Information  Institute, Perinatal and Infant Mortality in Palestine. 2006;72pages

The objective of this study is to determine perinatal, neonatal, and infant mortality rates in Palestine as well as determine causes of these deaths.  A random sample of 83 cluster each consisting of 300 households (West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem) was selected.  The study sample included 1207 women with an infant who survived at least one month (813 neonates) or survived at least one year (394 post-neonates), and 140 women with death grouped as: 49 stillbirths, 46 early neonates, 20 late neonates, and 25 post-neonates). Married women of childbearing age residing in those households were followed for one year (during 1/9/2001-31/8/2002).  In addition, all women with stillbirths or infant death as well as women with a successful birth and surviving infant were interviewed.  The former, women with stillbirths and infant death, medical records were assessesed for complication that caused infant death.  Results: in the peri-neonatal group (perinatal, late neonatal and live neonates) more than three quarters of the women suffered from a health complication during pregnancy with urinary or reproductive tract infection as the leading complication followed by Anemia.  After delivery insufficient education to mothers with regards to signs of ill health in their infant, postpartum nutrition, and breastfeeding was given.  Vaccination coverage for infant one year or older was only 86.2%.  Perinatal, neonatal, and infant mortality rate were 21, 15, 20 per 1000 livebirths,  Gaza rates ( 25, 18, 23 per 1000 liverbirths respectively) were higher than the West Bank (20, 13, 20 per 1000livebirths respectively).  Other causes of infant death beside urinary and reproductive tract infection during pregnancy were hypertensive disorders and antenatal hemorrhage.  Infant causes of death included congenital malformations as well as genetic diseases.  Recommendations to improve perinatal and infant mortality rate such as improving the medical care system were presented at the end of the report.