Infant mortality in Alfenas, state of Minas Gerais, 1998-2000: risk and prevention profile

Abstract

This is a cohort study to analyze the risk of infant mortality and the determining factors in the municipality of Alfenas, in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The variables studied included: birth weight, length of pregnancy, age and level of schooling of the mother and the number of antenatal care visits. The highest risks were for low birth weight newborn, pre-term babies, babies of mothers under 15, babies of mothers with less than 8 years schooling and those who had fewer than 6 antenatal visits. The results show the need for systematic and networked actions in the municipality for the monitoring of mother-infant health.