Demographic data of the neonatal intensive care population of a county hospital in Texas.

Morbidity and mortality associated with neonatal intensive care affect strongly the socioeconomic aspect of the health-care system. A retrospective study of the neonatal intensive care population at a county hospital in Texas showed that most deaths were related to nontreatable causes. Prematurity was a major cause both of increased mortality and morbidity. Although improved management of a premature infant with hyaline membrane disease using artificial surfactant improved survival, this treatment did not change the morbidity. The incidence of morbidity was related directly to the degree of prematurity. Illicit drug use also had a direct correlation with infants who had low birth weights. Overall, the mortality and morbidity data were consistent with incidence data reported nationally.