Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations

Abstract

Objective: Preterm neonates were approximately 70% of total low birth weight infants in developed countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the low birth weight neonates who were hospitalized in the neonatal unit of our hospital between the years 2010-2011, retrospectively.
Methods: 626 infants that born with under 2500 gram were enrolled to the study. Family history, natal, prenatal, postnatal, maternal and demographic features and risk factors were recorded retrospectively.
Results: Mother giving birth age was 21-35 years, gestational age was at 33 weeks and birth weight was found 2001-2500 gram mostly and the mortality rate was found 29.7% in our study. Maternal age, multipl pregnancy ratio, place of birth, birth presentation, duration of hospitalization, causes of premature birth and mortality rate is found statistically significant difference between low birth weight infants when comparing with birth weight (p<0.05). The most common cause of premature birth was preeclampsia-eclampsia in all infants while oligohydramnios was mostly found in ≤1000 gram infants. Respiratory distress and convulsion in the 2001-2500 g infants, hyperbilirubinemia in the 1501-2000 gram infants and required mechanical ventilation in the ≤1000 gram infants were found significantly higher (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Improving the educational level of the society, ensuring adequate prenatal monitoring, establishment of appropriate and adequate neonatal intensive care unit, following out delivery of premature at neonatal intensive care unit centers, appropriate transporting should be done, identifying the common risks such as sepsis and respiratory distress syndrome for mortality causes and taken measures againts them are serious importance for the prevention of premature birth.