Neonatal vital statistics: a 5-year review in Saudi Arabia

Neonatal mortality and causes of death at King Fahd Hospital of the University in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia from June 1981 to May 1986 were analysed. The overall neonatal mortality rate declined from 15.6 to 8.1/1000 live births (LB), and after excluding lethal malformations mortality fell from 14.0 to 5.6/1000 LB. The reduction in mortality was most marked in infants weighing 1500 g or less, among whom mortality fell from 92.3 to 33% (P less than 0.001) during the 5-year period. Further, when annual variation in the very low birthweight rate was eliminated, a reduction in the mortality risk ratio from 1.47 to 0.81 was demonstrated. These significant reductions in mortality appear to be related to the establishment of neonatal intensive care. Major identified causes of death amenable to modern perinatal care were hyaline membrane disease, birth asphyxia, meconium aspiration and septicaemia.