Neonatal Mortality, Trends, and Risk Factors in a Tertiary Israeli Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A 13-Year...

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Intensive Care
• Perinatal Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Antenatal care remains crucial for infant health outcomes, despite significant advancements in medical technologies and treatments.
• Understanding the impact of antenatal follow-up on neonatal mortality is essential for improving perinatal care strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present current data on neonatal mortality rates and causes.
• To analyze demographic parameters associated with infant mortality.
• To investigate the relationship between antenatal follow-up and neonatal mortality.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 3362 infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from 2009-2021.
• Data divided into two periods (2009-2014 and 2015-2021) for comparative analysis.
• Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney tests and chi-square tests, with P-value < 0.05 considered significant.

Main Results:

• A general decrease in the neonatal death rate was observed over the study period.
• Infants who died showed a significant decrease in full antenatal follow-up, dropping from 55.2% to 31.5% (P=0.06).
• The observed association suggests a potential link between reduced prenatal care and increased mortality.

Conclusions:

• An association exists between decreased antenatal follow-up and increased neonatal mortality.
• This finding underscores the continued importance of comprehensive antenatal care, even in the era of advanced medical capabilities.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms behind this association and to optimize prenatal care protocols.