CAUSES OF NEONATAL DEATHS IN A PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL NEONATAL UNIT

Abstract

Consecutive autopsies (1020) on newborn [human] infants who died during the first 28 days of life at the Children''s Hospital, University of Helsinki [Helsinki, Finland], during 1969-1978 were studied. The infants were grouped into 4 categories according to their weight at birth and into early (0-7 days) and late (8-28 days) neonatal groups according to their age at death. Of the cases, 77.5% fell into the early neonatal group. The most common causes of death were hyaline membrane disease (HMD) and cerebral hemorrhage (CH), which together accounted for 41.9% of all the deaths. Congenital anomaly was the 2nd most common group of causes, comprising 35.3% of the cases. A gradual fall in the total number of deaths was conspicuous during the 10-yr period. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of deaths from HMD and CH in the weight categories 1001-1500 g and 1501-2500 g. The fall is considered to reflect improvement in obstetrics and neonatal medicine.