Neonatal mortality and survival of low-birth-weight infants at hospitals in indonesia, a multi center study

Abstract

The first month of life is the most vulnerable period for child survival. Newborns who are born too soon or too small, or sick, are at the greatest risk of death. Objective of the study was to delve into neonatal mortality and low birth weight (LBW) survival at hospitals in Indonesia. It was a retrospective cohort on the neonates cared at 12 hospitals in various islands of Indonesia during August-October 2021. Inclusion criteria were singleton and age 0-28 days, whereas exclusion criteria were incomplete medical records and gestational age ≥ 42 weeks. Of 2726 neonates, 2017 were eligible for the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis exhibited LBW had the highest mortality risk, followed by referral neonates. The highest mortality risks at birth were asphyxia and major congenital abnormalities, subsequently. During the early neonatal period, the highest mortality risks were respiratory distress and feeding problem, consecutively. At 7-28 days of life, the feeding problem was the highest mortality risk. Kaplan Meier analysis suggested early neonatal death in LBW and Normal Birth Weight (NBW) infants was almost similar at aged 6 days. At neonatal period, however, the average age of neonatal death in LBW infants was 21 days, whereas in NBW 26 days.

Keywords: Hospitals; Indonesia; Low birth weight; Multicenter study; Neonatal mortality.

Fig. 1

Study course.

Fig. 2

Kaplan Meier survival curve of neonatal mortality at age < 7 days.

Fig. 3

Kaplan Meier survival curve of neonatal mortality at age 28 days.