Risk Factor-Specific Mortality Analysis of the Outborn Newborns to Improve the Neonatal Mortality Rate: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study.

Abstract

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) envisions eliminating preventable newborn deaths and reducing neonatal mortality to 12 per 1000 live births. There is a paucity of data on outborn newborns. By doing this study, areas for further reductions in neonatal mortality rate (NMR) can be identified and interventions can target these areas for reduction of NMR. The objectives of this study were to determine the causes of admission of outborn newborns, identify the timing and causes of mortality, distinguish between possibly preventable or probably unpreventable deaths, and identify areas for further reductions in NMR. A cross-sectional, retrospective, and descriptive study was conducted on outborn newborns at a Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of a medical college hospital in eastern India from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Admission and mortality data were collected after ethics committee approval and analyzed. Sick outborn newborns admitted to the SNCU were 1671. Deaths occurred in 281. Males were 62.28%. The highest number of deaths occurred in birth weight ≤999 g, (91.84%), gestational age <28 weeks (100%). The causes of death were sepsis in 35.23%, perinatal asphyxia in 22.78%, and prematurity (<28 weeks) and ELBW (≤999 grams) in 16.73%. First-day deaths were 55.87%, deaths in the first 2 days were 69.85%, and deaths in the first 7 days were 86.83%. To reduce NMR, interventions should target male gender, scheduled tribe social category, <28 weeks gestation, birth weight ≤999 g, cases of sepsis, perinatal asphyxia, and prematurity.