Background and Aim: Providing, securing and promotion of newborns HEALTH as vulnerable group are of high specific importance in HEALTH services. Considering neonatal death importance, this study is drawn up toward determining causes of mortality and morbidity and effective factors on neonatal period in BIRJAND. Materials and Methods: This was a population based case-control study which was conducted on 90 INFANTs died in age under one in HEALTH houses of BIRJAND in years 2000 and 2001. For each case, two controls were provided who matched one-to-one considering variables of residence and date of birth. Information was collected through questionnaire taken by the researcher at HEALTH centers where filled considering family file, interview with mothers and with HEALTH workers. Data were described and analyzed by EPI-INFO 2000 and SPSS through conditional logistic regression analysis. Results: According to the study 28.9% of neonate deaths were during the first 24 hours after birth 42.2% between 2 and 7 days and the rest 28.9% in the range of 8-28 days. The most important causes of neonatal death were prematurity and low birth weight (in 44.4%) and after it congenital anomalies (15.6%), infections (10%), asphyxia and delivery problems (10%) and narcotic intoxicant (6.7%) respectively. In this study mothers addiction to tobacco (OR=6.45 & P=0.01), mothers addiction to narcotic drugs (OR=4.25 & P=0.001), immaturity (OR=119.3 & P<0.001), mothers age in the first pregnancy less than 20 (OR=1.9 & P=0.01) and birth weight less than 2500gr (OR=61.5 & P<0.001) and significant relationship with neonatal morbidity and mortality. Conclusion: Special attention to childhood period and special care for babies born by mothers at risk, and providing special HEALTH education and care to these mothers can play an important role in INFANTs mortality rate reduction.

Background: First year of life especially is important in providing of a foundation for HEALTH and improvement of the life quality. In recent years INFANTs Mortality Rate has been decreased in our country but still is higher than the developed countries.Methods: In our study data was collected in a questionnaire for 2004-2005 year dead INFANT in BIRJAND hospitals. This study was a case – control for each case, two controls, who matched one to one considering variable of residency and age were chosen.Findings: 79.7 percent of INFANT mortality was in neonatal period. The most important causes of death in neonatal were prematuity and low birth weight (54.3%) and in post neonatal period were congenital abnormality (33.3%). In this study logistic regression analysis showed that few variables such as father's education, history of prior death child, interval between two births, high risk mother's in pregnancy, type of delivery, gestational age and weight of birth had the significant relationship with INFANT mortality. Prematurity and low birth weight was highly associated with mortality.Conclusion: Special care for premature and low birth weight INFANT and strengthening HEALTH care programs and emphasizing the need to identify high risk groups should be priorities.

Objective: INFANT mortality rate is one of the most expressive indicators of development in all countries. The aim of this study was to determine the cause of INFANT mortality and risk factors in rural areas of BIRJAND in Iran.Methods: This population based case-control study covered 156 INFANTs who died when aged less than one-year in HEALTH houses of BIRJAND between January 2004 and December 2005. For each case, two controls were selected matching one-to-one to the case considering variables of residency and their date of birth. The data was collected through interview with mothers and reviewing INFANTs’ files in HEALTH houses.Findings: 57.7 percent of deaths in under one year old INFANTs happened during the first month of their lives. The most important causes of death in neonates were prematurity and low birth weight (44.4%) later gastroenteritis (30.3%). In addition, the study showed that 9.6 percent of INFANTs had died because of narcotic toxicosis. Moreover, the study showed a significant relationship between INFANT mortality and parents’ level of education, mother’s addiction, age of mother in the first pregnancy, prematurity, low birth weight, type of delivery and exclusive breast feeding.Conclusion: Special attention to INFANTile period and special care for INFANTs born to at-risk mothers, as well as providing special HEALTH education can cause a dramatic reduction in INFANTs’ mortality rate.

Introduction: First year of life is important as HEALTH and improvement of the life quality. In recent years IMR has been decreased in our country but still is higher than the developed countries, which should be dressed with defecting of indicators related to INFANT mortality, and deciding strategies.Methods: In our study data was collected in a questionnaire for 2004 -2005 year dead INFANT in BIRJAND hospitals. This study was a case– control for each case, two controls, who matched one to one considering variable of residency and age, were chosen.Results: 79.7 percent of INFANT mortality was in neonatal period. The most important causes of death in neonatal were prematurity and low birth weight (54.3%) and in post neonatal period were congenital abnormality (33.3%). In this study logistics regression analysis showed that few variables such as father's education, history of prior death child, interval between two births, high risk mother's in pregnancy, type of delivery, gestational age and weight of birth had the significant relationship with INFANT mortality. Prematurely and low birth weight was highly associated with mortality.Conclusion: Special care for premature and low birth weight INFANT and strengthening HEALTH care programs and emphasizing the need to identify high risk groups should be priorities.

This paper considers the relationship between maternal education and INFANT mortality in Iran. The observed association between maternal education and INFANT mortality may arise from the association of these variables with the household's socio-ecdnomic status and community characteristics. Consequently, an attempt was made to control these two variables. Data used is from Iran Demographic and HEALTH Survey (2000). Logistic regression is used to analyze the data. The results show that, after controlling for socio-economic status and place of residence of households, the association between maternal education and INFANT mortality is reduced, but does not disappear. In addition, compared to urban areas, this association is weaker in rural areas. The importance of these results for policy making in order to reduce INFANT mortality is discussed.