Early neonatal death at a teaching hospital in Jordan

ABSTRACT

To estimate the stillbirth and hospital early neonatal death rates at the main referral hospital in the north of Jordan [King Abdullah University Hospital]. All infants born at the King Abdullah University Hospital [KAUH] over a 5-year period from January 1. 2005 to December 31, 2009 were identified retrospectively. Medical records of the patient who were considered stillbirth or died in the first week of life were reviewed. The following data age. gestational age, birth weight, maternal medical and obstetric history, duration of stay and cause of death were collected and analyzed .The main cause of death was taken from death certificates. A total of 10,030 newborns were included in this study. There were 89 stillbirths and 102 early neonatal deaths. Stillbirth rate was 9.0 per 1000 births and early neonatal mortality rate was 10.3 per 1000 live births. Of the early neonatal deaths, 79.4% were born premature, 77.5% were born with low birth weight, 28.4% of them were born of mothers with hypertensive disorders and 17.6% were born of mothers with diabetes. Almost half of deaths [52.9%] occurred in the first day of life and 20.6% of deaths occurred in the second day of life. The most common cause of early neonatal death was respiratory distress syndrome [50.0%] followed by multiple congenital anomalies [19.6%] and sepsis [12.7%]. The three causes together contributed to 82.3% of deaths. In a referral tertiary center in the north of Jordan, stillbirth rate was 9.0 per 1000 births and early neonatal mortality rate was 10.3 per 1000 births. About half of early neonatal deaths occur in the first day of life. Prevention and treatment of prematurity, prevention of sepsis and better understanding of congenital anomalies may help to decrease early neonatal death. Attention to prevention and treatment of respiratory distress syndrome is warranted