RESUMO
We investigated the prevalence of neonatal deaths in the special care baby unit [SCBU] at the main children's hospital in Tripoli and the factors associated with these deaths. We reviewed the medical records of all neonates who died in our SCBU from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2005. A total of 1176 neonates were admitted to our SCBU [59.6% males and 40.4% females]. Of these, 260 [22.1%] died: 165 males and 95 females. The reasons for admission to SCBU of the neonates who died were: prematurity [43.9%], birth asphyxia [16.7%], congenital malformations [15.9%], neonatal infections [14.6%], other reasons [4.6%] and data unavailable [4.3%]. The factors associated with death were: respiratory distress [40.4%], congenital malformation [19.6%], neonatal infections [18.5%] and perinatal asphyxia [15.8%], with 5.8% attributed to other causes. The majority of deaths [63.1%] occurred during the early neonatal period. Mortality in our SCBU is high and action is needed to reduce it with emphasis on prematurity