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Background: In order to assess morbidity and health care utilization in developing countries, health interview surveys are often used. The aim of this paper is to explore morbidity, health care utilization during pregnancy and pregnancy outcome as reported by women in rural Gutu district, Zimbabwe., Methods: The study was cross-sectional, performed 1992-93 in 12 villages selected at random. Women aged 15-44 years (n = 1213) were interviewed concerning their reproductive history, use of maternity care and complications during pregnancy/labor during their latest pregnancy., Results: The perinatal mortality rate (PMR) for all the completed pregnancies (889 women had completed 3601 pregnancies) was 23/1000 total births. The attendance rate for antenatal care was high (94%). Elevated blood pressure was the most commonly reported late pregnancy complication, and a prolonged labor, i.e. 24 h or more, the most common complication during delivery. Out of women whose latest pregnancy did not end in an early or late abortion (n = 831) the cesarean section rate was 6.3%. The PMR was 8.4/1000 for their latest pregnancy. Institutional deliveries were preferred by the majority of women, with hospital and clinic deliveries constituting 58% and 27% of deliveries, respectively, while 15% delivered at home. Long-term complications were few, and only 14 (1.6%) women reported a current health problem, which they related to previous pregnancies., Conclusions: Antenatal attendance rate was high. The majority of women preferred institutional deliveries. Few women reported complications, which were not taken care of in the health service. Long-term complications related to previous pregnancies were few.

In a longitudinal study in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1233 biparietal diameter and 857 head circumference measurements were obtained from the fetuses of 190 women. Weekly mean values and the two standard deviations were calculated for both the biparietal diameter and head circumference from 12 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. There was little difference between these values and some Caucasian and African standards. Comparison was also made of the weekly biparietal diameter growth rate between our results and those from one study in West Africa. The possible reasons for the differences are explained.