Analysis of infant mortality in the Irkutsk region and reserves for its reduction

The aim of the research. Determination of reserves for reducing infant mortality based on the results of its analysis. Material and methods. An analysis of infant mortality dynamics in the Irkutsk Region for 2018-2020 was made as well as of medical documentation of 51 cases of death from external causes in the postneonatal period. Results. In 2020, the structure of the causes of infant mortality has changed due to its increase from external causes, which took the first place in the postneonatal period. Infant mortality outside medical institutions has a negative trend: 19.8% in 2018, 24.5% in 2019 and 25.1% in 2020. Analysis of medical records revealed that children aged 1 to 3 months (52.9%) and 4 to 6 months (35.3%) died more often, being mostly full-term children (84.3%), among whom 27.9% were with intrauterine development delay. The largest number of deaths occurred from accidental suffocation at home – 86.3%. A total of 35 (68.6%) children were brought up in families of high social risk, while 25 (71.4%) families were not registered by social protection authorities and were deprived of the opportunity to receive social support. Conclusion. The reduction of infant mortality from external causes largely depends on organisation of interdepartmental interaction of medical organisations with bodies and institutions of the neglect prevention system for monitoring families in socially dangerous situations. For timely identification of families of high social risk and the transfer of information to the custody and guardianship authority and the social protection management authority, medical organisations must be staffed with social workers.