Neonatal mortality of the University Hospital of Valladolid (HUV) in the decade of the nineties

Abstract

Introduction: Analysis of mortality is one of the most important health care markers and thus we have performed a study on Neonatal Mortality in the first decade of the functioning of the HUV Neonatology Unit.
Patients and methods: A retrospective study of 13,259 births in the HUV, from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 1999, was designed. We included all the live newborns who were born in the HUV and who died in our Service or in the referral Hospital. During this decade, there were 56 cases, after excluding 5 who died during the infant period (after 28 days of life).
Results: Total neonatal mortality in the decade studied is 4.22 per thousand, with an immediate neonatal mortality of 2.56 per thousand. The mean gestational age of the newborns is 31 weeks with 87.5% preterms. Weight of the newborns is less than 1,500 grams in half the cases. The most frequent cause of mortality is respiratory and/or asphyxia.
Discussion: The study of the causes of neonatal deaths and analysis of neonatal mortality statistics makes it possible to identify the causes and time of death of the newborn, comparing them with similar hospital units and, above all, makes it possible to improve health care quality of the Service.