Problems of the Newborn

Abstract

The problems of the newborn in the developing countries have not yet been clearly defined. The statistics of teaching hospitals show consistent improvement over the years¹ and thus illustrate the benefits of a well-organised obstetric-paediatric service to the community. In all large cities where the teaching hospitals are situated, the populations served are often mobile, and so comparable community figures from one year to another are difficult to obtain. In Dar-es-Salaam it is estimated that about 75 per cent of all deliveries take place in hospital as compared with the overall national figure of 20 to 25 per cent,^2,3 and similar figures are also true for other developing countries. This indicates the very large number of births occurring in rural areas under traditional methods of midwifery, without any antenatal care. The associated dangers of low birth weight, birth trauma, intrapartum anoxia, infection and many others are all too familiar.