Clinical profile and outcome of babies admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Abstract

Introduction: Every year millions of babies are born and a large proportion of them are admitted to the neonatal ward for various indications. One of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG-4) is to reduce childhood mortality by two-thirds by 2015.This study was conducted to identify the general characteristics, disease spectrum and the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality in this group of babies.

Methods: Prospective observational study of all infants admitted to neonatal intensive care unit, Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara during November 2010 to April 2011.

Results: 182 neonates were admitted during the period of study; 32.4% babies were inborn. 41.2 % babies were admitted directly from the emergency or outpatient department and 22.5 % were referred from district hospitals. Male: female ratio was 1.1:1. There were 67.5 % term babies and 31.3% preterm babies. 44.5% were admitted in the first 24 hours of life; commonest indications for admission were neonatal jaundice (24.7%); sepsis (21.4%) and perinatal asphyxia (19.2%). 76.9% babies were discharged after improvement, 6.5% left against medical advice and 1.62% were referred for surgical interventions and mortality was seen in 13.7%. Commonest cause for mortality was hyaline membrane disease (28%) and hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy stage 3 (28%).

Conclusion: Neonatal period is a very vulnerable period with a high risk of morbidity and mortality; most of which are preventable with good obstetric and subsequent neonatal care. Early anticipation and prompt management is very essential to reduce neonatal mortality.