A Cross-Sectional Survey on Clinical Characteristics of Preterm Infants Admitted to NICU in Tertiary Care Hospital, Patiala, Punjab

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the present work is to detect premature problems, incidence of premature and incidence of neonatal deaths in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Government Rajindra Hospital Patiala (Punjab) through 3 months (March 2020–May 2020).

Subjects and Methods: Study design was retrospective cross-sectional study. Data were collected retrospectively from Healthy Mother/ Healthy Child files in the NICU in Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Sample size included 118 neonates.

Results: It shows that 65.2% of neonates were premature, among them (61.02%) of preterms were males. About 61.86% of premature infants were ≥32 weeks and weighed ≥1500 g. Deaths constituted (12.71%) of admitted preterms. Premature death was higher among those ≥32 weeks (15.06%) and also who weight ≥1500 g (13.7). Hyperbilirubinemia was the first cause of admission followed by septicemia and meningitis.

Conclusion: Premature admission and death rate were high. Better antenatal care coverage for pregnant women and continuous training of neonatologists is needed for more accurate assessment and management of premature cases.