OBJECTIVES: to characterize the tendency of infant mortality in Distrito Federal (DF) considering underlying causes of death and the avoidable causes criteria between 1990 and 2000. METHODS: an ecological study using total infant deaths and births. Information systems of the Ministry of Health were used to obtain data. Assessment of underlying death causes was based on the International Classification of Disease. For avoidable causes analysis related to the criteria established by the SEADE foundation was used. RESULTS: deaths from perinatal problems were predominant, followed by deaths related to congenital anomalies. However, greater reduction occurred in the mortality rate resulting from parasitic and infection diseases. When each coefficient was analyzed separately, neonatal deaths, avoidable deaths through early diagnosis and treatment and non-avoidable deaths are outstanding CONCLUSIONS: the need for effective interventions in the causes of death and child mortality, specially related with the care during pregnancy, delivery and after-birth in addition to intervention by civil society sectors was determined.
Infant mortality; Postneonatal mortality; Underlying cause of death
