Investigação dos óbitos infantil e fetal no Vale do Jequitinhonha, Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract

This study aims to analyse aspects related to the lack of investigation of foetal and infant deaths in the Jequitinhonha Valley, State of Minas Gerais. This is an ecological study whose unit of analysis were the 33 municipalities in the Extended Jequitinhonha Health Region. A questionnaire was applied to a member of the Infant and Foetal Death Prevention Committee of each municipality. The questions were related to the committees' structure, mechanisms of infant death investigation, difficulties related to the investigation of deaths, and avoidable criteria between 2007 and 2012. A descriptive analysis with simple frequencies aiming at profiling the studied municipalities was performed. Of the 598 infant and 477foetal deaths registered, only 22.2% and 18.4%, respectively, were investigated. The researchers detected that infrastructure, technical, operational and policy issues interfered with the investigation. Although required by law, the investigation over infant and foetal deaths is deficient. This led to a large number of deaths being left uninvestigated. Such situation may hinder programmes for the reduction of infant and foetal mortality and the quality of childcare.