Of the total 8,643 childbirths at Koshi Zonal Hospital in the last fiscal year, as many as 250 were stillborn. Likewise, 61 babies had died within 28 days.
According to health experts, the neonatal mortality rate is rising as pregnant women do not receive proper prenatal care and they often ignore regular health checkups, which are essential for healthy birth. Likewise, the sudden degradation in the health of both the child and the mother at the time of child delivery is also contributing to higher neonatal mortality rate. [break]
Of the total births at the zonal hospital last fiscal year, over 600 were by caesarean section. Likewise, vacuum extractor was used on almost 400 mothers to pull the babies out. "We use vacuum only if the pregnant woman cannot push the baby out. Many women are brought to the hospital at the last hour when they are unable to give birth on their own. The situation is full of risk," said a woman health specialist at the zonal hospital.
Unfortunately, five pregnant women of the total pregnant women brought to the hospital died during child delivery last fiscal year. "Even though the maternal rate is very low, the neonatal mortality rate is increasing perilously," said she.
In the month of May, the zonal hospital saw over 300 delivery cases. Of the total births, 162 were boys and 132 girls and 10 stillborn. Likewise, of the total 400 delivery cases in the month of April, 11 babies were either still born or died within 28 days of birth.
Similarly, in the interval of the fifteen days from July 16, the Zonal hospital received 354 delivery cases among which 12 babies were stillborn.
In the fiscal year 2011-2012, 9,365 women had given birth to 9,436 children. Of the total births, 310 were still born cases while 42 babies had died within 28 days.
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