U. Devonderweid et al., BIRTH-WEIGHT-SPECIFIC AND CAUSE OF DEATH- SPECIFIC NEONATAL-MORTALITYRATES IN THE ITALIAN REGIONS, Rivista italiana di pediatria, 21(2), 1995, pp. 229-234
Based on national data recorded by the Italian National Statistical In
stitute (ISTAT), total, birthweight-specific and cause of death-specif
ic neonatal mortality rates were computed for each Italian Region in 1
990. For the period 1988-1990 the birthweight-specific relative risk
of neonatal death was computed in each Region with respect to the Regi
on Lombardia, taken as the reference standard. There is a clear tenden
cy for neonatal mortality to increase from Northern to Central to Sout
hern Italian Regions. This trend is mainly related to a significative
inter-regional variability, with North-to-South direction, of neonatal
mortality in very low birthweight infants (500-1499 g.) and especiall
y in moderately low, birthweight infants (1500-2499 g.), with relative
risk values of 1.5 to 2.5. In the normal birthweight category (2500 g
. +), interregional differences are less pronounced, with significativ
ely high mortality rates in four Southern Regions only. Among caused o
f neonatal death, ''RDS/immaturity''-related disorders rank first, fol
lowed by ''congenital'' disorders and ''pregnancy/delivery''-related d
isorders. Significative differences of cause-specific mortality are ob
served among Northern, Central and Southern Italy, in the three birthw
eight classes, mainly for respiratory disorders and infections.