Descriptive study for neonatal death in neonatal care unit in maternity and children teaching hospital in Aldiwaniah, Iraq

Of the estimated 130 million infants born each year worldwide,1 4 million die in the first 28 days of life. Three-quarters of neonatal deaths occur in the first week, and more than one-quarter occur in the first 24 hours.1,2 Neonatal deaths account for 40% of deaths under the age of 5 years worldwide. This study was descriptive-analytical prospective one and the population of the study included all infants hospitalized in NICU of maternity and children teaching hospital in aldiwaniah governorate from first of September 2013 to the end of august 2014. About 1644 neonate patients was admitted to the neonatal care unit directly either from the labor room or from the operation room and the neonate only in contact with health personnel ; from those we study all 193 hospitalized neonates that died due to different causes. In this study, of 1466 neonates , were hospitalized in NICU (neonatal intensive care unit ) in maternity and children teaching hospital from first of September 2013 through august 2014 ; from which 193 ( 13.1% )cases were died . A total of 193infants died in the hospital form which 64.25% were male and ( 35.75% )of them were female. ; 36.8% of them were full term and 63.2 % were premature . the most common cause of the neonatal death were the RDS (respiratory distress syndrome) 93 (48.1%) and the second most common cause were the complication of prematurity other than the RDS which form55( 28.4% ). The birth asphyxia, congenital anomalies and sepsis represent 15 ( 7.7 % ), 8 (4.1%) , 11 ( 5.6% ) respectively. the meconium aspiration syndrome mainly in postmature infant represent about 9 (4.6 % )and miscellaneous causes( hydrops fetalis and intraventriculer haemorrhage and congenital heart disease ) was 3 ( 1.5 %) . The common cause of neonatal death was sever immaturity with its complications and mainly the respiratory distress syndrome. Almost the death occur in premature and LBW babies. We can prevent of born these babies by high quality prenatal care. The study proves the relations between certains maternal and neonatal factors and neonatal mortality; since low-weight premature infants are at more risk of dying in infancy, it is suggested that pregnant mothers should be placed under the required cares to avoid the birth of premature infants as possible.