ABSTRACT
Neonatal mortality is one of the important indices of development for every nation. The first step to promote this index is determining respective causes which are dependent on numerous factors and are not the same in different centers. To determine the causes and risk factors of neonatal mortality in AL-Zahra hospital, Rasht, northern Iran, from 2006 to 2011, according to international coding diseases. This cross sectional retrospective study was conducted on 643 dead neonates among 23796 live births. Sex, birth weight, mode of delivery, gestational age, Apgar score and causes of death were assessed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. The commonest cause of mortality was respiratory distress syndrome [RDS] [61.6%]. The second cause was congenital abnormalities [7.9%]. As revealed, 89/9% of the dead neonates were premature and the remaining ones were term [p=0.0001]. Most of the dead cases had birth weight under 2.5 KG and died in the first 24h after birth. These neonates were born by cesarean section and were with first and fifth apgar scores below 7. [In all the above-mentioned findings P= 0.0001]. Since most dead neonates were premature and with low birth weights, and the most frequent cause of death was RDS, it is necessary to expand prenatal care, NICU and neonatal ward facilities all around the northern province