Risk Factors for Neonatal Mortality Among Very Low Birth Weight Neonates

• Main Authors: Fatemeh Nayeri, Hosein Dalili, Firoozeh Nili, Elaheh Amini, Ali Ardehali, Babak Khoshkrood Mansoori, Mamak Shariat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2013-05-01
• Series: Acta Medica Iranica
• Subjects: Neonatal mortality rate (NMR); Risk factor; Very low birth weight (VLBW)
• Online Access: https://acta.tums.ac.ir/index.php/acta/article/view/4443
• ISSN: 0044-6025; 1735-9694

The objective of this study is to determine risk factors causing increase in very low birth way (VLBW) neonatal mortality. The medical files of all neonates weighing ≤1500 g, born in Vali-e-Asr hospital (2001-2004) were studied. Two groups of neonates (living and dead) were compared up to the time of hospital discharge or death. A total of 317 neonates were enrolled. A meaningful relationship existed between occurrence of death and low gestational age (P=0.02), low birth weight, lower than 1000 g (P=0.001), Apgar score <6 at 5th minutes (P=0.001), resuscitation at birth (P=0.001), respiratory distress syndrome (P=0.001) need for mechanical ventilation (P=0.001), neurological complications (P=0.001) and intraventricular hemorrhage (P=0.001). Regression analysis indicated that each 250 g weight increase up to 1250 g had protective effect, and reduced mortality rate. The causes of death of those neonates weighting over 1250 g should be sought in factors other than weight. Survival rate was calculated to be 80.4% for neonates weighing more than 1000 g. The most important high risk factors affecting mortality of neonates are: low birth weight, need for resuscitation at birth, need for ventilator use and intraventricular hemorrhage.