title: Risk factors for neonatal mortality among very low birth weight neonates.
abstract: The objective of this study is to determine risk factors causing increase in very low birth way (VLBW) neonatal mortality. The medical files of all neonates weighing ≤1500 g, born in Vali-e-Asr hospital (2001-2004) were studied. Two groups of neonates (living and dead) were compared up to the time of hospital discharge or death. A total of 317 neonates were enrolled. A meaningful relationship existed between occurrence of death and low gestational age (P=0.02), low birth weight, lower than 1000 g (P=0.001), Apgar score &lt;6 at 5th minutes (P=0.001), resuscitation at birth (P=0.001), respiratory distress syndrome (P=0.001) need for mechanical ventilation (P=0.001), neurological complications (P=0.001) and intraventricular hemorrhage (P=0.001). Regression analysis indicated that each 250 g weight increase up to 1250 g had protective effect, and reduced mortality rate. The causes of death of those neonates weighting over 1250 g should be sought in factors other than weight. Survival rate was calculated to be 80.4% for neonates weighing more than 1000 g. The most important high risk factors affecting mortality of neonates are: low birth weight, need for resuscitation at birth, need for ventilator use and intraventricular hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Neonatologist, Maternal-Fetal-Neonatal Research Center ,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nayeri
authors.forename: Hosein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dalili
authors.forename: Firoozeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nili
authors.forename: Elaheh
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardehali
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khoshkrood Mansoori
authors.forename: Mamak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shariat
mesh_terms: D001034:Apgar Score; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends