OBJECTIVETo investigate the mortality rate and the cause of death of hospitalized neonates.

METHODSThe clinical data of 480 neonates who died between January 2008 and December 2014 were collected. The mortality rates of neonates with different gestational ages, birth weights, sexes, and ages in days were analyzed. The abnormal perinatal factors, cause of death, and death grade were summarized.

RESULTSAmong the 41 910 hospitalized neonates, 480 (1.1%) died, and the mortality rates of preterm infants and full-term infants were 1.7% and 0.7%, respectively. The mortality rate of hospitalized neonates decreased from 1.4% in 2008 to 1.1% in 2014, and the decrease was more apparent in the preterm infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks and the neonates with a birth weight of <1 000 g. Among preterm infants and full-term infants, those with a lower gestational age tended to have a higher mortality rate, but post-term infants had an increased mortality rate. The infants with a lower birth weight tended to have a higher mortality rate. Male neonates had a significantly higher mortality rate than female neonates (1.31% vs 0.92%; P<0.05). Among the neonates who died, 61.3% had definite abnormal perinatal factors, including abnormal amniotic fluid (29.4%), premature rupture of membranes (16.9%), placental abnormality (16.9%), fetal intrauterine distress (14.0%), and abnormal umbilical cord (12.3%). Among the 480 neonates who died, 57 (11.9%) died within 24 hours after birth, 181 (37.7%) died within 2-7 days, and 242 (50.4%) died within 8-28 days. The three most common causes of death were infection, birth defect, and respiratory distress syndrome. The most common cause of death was respiratory distress syndrome in 2008-2011 and infection in 2012-2014. Respiratory distress syndrome was the most common cause of death in preterm infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks, neonates with a birth weight of <1 500 g, and neonates who died with 24 hours; infection was the most common cause of death in neonates with a gestational age of 32-42 weeks, neonates with a birth weight of 1 500-4 000 g, and neonates who died within 8-28 days. Neonatal asphyxia was the major cause of death in post-term infants. Inevitable deaths (grade 1) accounted for 54.4%, deaths that could be avoided under certain conditions (grade 2) accounted for 23.3%, and deaths caused by concerns about prognosis or economic reasons (grade 3) accounted for 22.3%.

CONCLUSIONSIn recent years, the treatment of neonates has gradually improved, and the mortality rate of neonates is gradually decreasing, especially in neonates with low gestational age and birth weight. Important measures for reducing the mortality rate in neonates include enhancing perinatal management, reducing abnormal perinatal factors, preventing infection, and increasing parents' confidence in treatment.