A Hospital Based Prospective Study to Evaluate the Outcome of Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) Neonates Discharged from District Hospital

Abstract

Background: Birth weight is the most important determinant of perinatal, neonatal and postnatal outcomes. The main reason for increasing morbidity & mortality in VLBW neonates is due to their physiologic & metabolic immaturity. The aim of this study to assessed the morbidity and mortality profile in very low birth weight neonates in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in District hospital in Rajasthan. Materials& Methods: A hospital based prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, District hospital, Dholpur, Rajasthan, India during one year period. All VLBW neonates were included in the study after getting written informed consent from the parents for using their neonates’ clinical data for the study purpose. All VLBW neonates admitted in our NICU were enrolled in the study. Relevant details were collected which includes maternal details like their age, address, socioeconomic status, educational status, maternal weight, risk factors, gestational age, Antenatal steroids, premature rupture of membranes, mode of delivery and Baby’s details include their sex, need of resuscitation, Apgar score, gestational age, birth weight and their illness, need of mechanical ventilation and surfactant therapy were recorded. Results: Our study showed that maternal age < 18 years were 2 (2%) and most of the mothers were in the age 18-21 years – 35 (35%). Maternal hypertension being the most common cause for VLBW babies. Place of birth, mode of delivery and gender had no correlation with outcome of very low birth weight neonates (P=0.082, p=0.076, P=0.067 respectively). There is significant association of gestational age with outcome of very low birth weight neonates (P<0.05*). Conclusion: Prematurity is the primary cause behind this neonatal death. This emphasizes the need to prevent preterm deliveries. Effective preventive strategies to decrease the preterm birth can only be the next big step to decrease the perinatal morbidity rate of our state.