A study on clinical profile and outcome of low birth weight neonates admitted to NICU in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Neonatal period is the first 28 days of life since birth. it is considered as the most susceptible period for mortality and morbidity [1]. Neonatal mortality accounts for 2/3 rd of the infant mortality. Objectives:1. To study clinical profile of LBW neonates2. To evaluate morbidity and mortality in LBW neonates3. To analyse the risk factors for mortality in LBW neonatesMaterial & methods: Study Design: Prospective hospital based observational study.Study area: The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Alluri SitaRamaRaju Academy of Medical Sciences, Malkapuram, Eluru, West Godavari (dist.), Andhra Pradesh. Study Period: September 2020 to September 2021. Study population: All neonates with birth weight less than 2,500 grams admitted to NICU. Sample size: study consisted a total of 46 cases. Sampling method: Simple Random sampling method. Study tools and Data collection procedure: All neonates less than 2500gms irrespective of gestational age, examined and a detailed Antenatal, Natal and Postnatal history was obtained and recorded in a predesigned proforma. Neonate’s birth weight, gestational age, sex, mode of delivery, indication for any interventions, immediate postnatal events like APGAR score and if any resuscitation done, were recorded in a predesigned proforma. Results: The Most common morbidity found in this study subjects were RDS (30.4%), followed by EONS (28.3%), NNJ (13%), NEC (6.5%), HYPOGLYCEMIA(6.5%), BIRTHASPHYXIA (4.3%), DIC & MAS (2.2%). Pre term LBW babies were more effected by these morbidities than the term LBW babies, but there was no statistical significance in our study. Conclusion: RDS and Sepsis were the most common factors associated with LBW. The factors associated with mortality were found to be Birth asphyxia, Sepsis, RDS