NEONATAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN BINGHAM UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL JOS, PLATEAU, NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

Background: Neonatal mortality rate (NMR) remains high in Nigeria. There is the need to know the major causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality, so as to reduce the trend. Aim: To determine the causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the neonatology unit of Bingham University teaching Hospital (BHUTH), Jos. Method: This is a retrospective, analytical descriptive hospital-based study carried out in the special care baby unit of BHUTH from January- December 2018. Results: A total of 324 neonates were enrolled in the study. The ratio of male (189) to female (135) neonates was 1:0.7. There were more babies in the out born (168) than inborn (156). Major causes of morbidity were prematurity (29.3%), Neonatal jaundice (NNJ), (21.9%), Neonatal sepsis (NS), (12.3%), birth asphyxia (BA), (11.4%) and NNS+NNJ (9.9%). The three main causes of mortality were prematurity (59.1%), severe birth asphyxia (SBA) (27.3%) and NS (13.6%). The difference in mortality due to prematurity was statistically significant between the inborn and out born, (χ2 =9.08, p=0.001), but that due to severe birth asphyxia was not statistically significant (χ2 =1.44, p=0.230). Case fatality rate for severe birth asphyxia (SBA) was 32.4%, prematurity 27.4%, and NS 15.0%. Out of 324, 259 (80%) were discharged, 44 (14%) died, 17 (5%) were discharged against medical advice (DAMA) and 4 (1%) were referred. Conclusion: Prematurity, NNJ and NS were the leading causes of morbidity, while SBA, prematurity and NS were the main causes of mortality in this study