BackgroundInfant mortality has decreased in Brazil, but remains high as compared to that of
other developing countries. In 2010, the Rio Grande do Sul state had the lowest
infant mortality rate in Brazil. However, the municipality of Novo Hamburgo had
the highest infant mortality rate in the Porto Alegre metropolitan region.ObjectiveTo describe the causes of infant mortality in the municipality of Novo Hamburgo
from 2007 to 2010, identifying which causes were related to heart diseases and if
they were diagnosed in the prenatal period, and to assess the access to healthcare
services.MethodsThis study assessed infants of the municipality of Novo Hamburgo, who died, and
whose data were collected from the infant death investigation records.ResultsOf the 157 deaths in that period, 35.3% were reducible through diagnosis and early
treatment, 25% were reducible through partnership with other sectors, 19.2% were
non-preventable, 11.5% were reducible by means of appropriate pregnancy
monitoring, 5.1% were reducible through appropriate delivery care, and 3.8% were
ill defined. The major cause of death related to heart disease (13.4%), which was
significantly associated with the variables ‘age at death’, ‘gestational age’ and
‘birth weight’. Regarding access to healthcare services, 60.9% of the pregnant
women had a maximum of six prenatal visits.ConclusionIt is mandatory to enhance prenatal care and newborn care at hospitals and basic
healthcare units to prevent infant mortality.