An assessment of admission pattern and treatment outcomes of neonates admitted in centers under facility-based newborn care program in Maharashtra, India

BACKGROUND: Newborn period is the most vulnerable period of life. As the rate of decline in neonatal mortality was slow compared to infant mortality rate, improved neonatal health-care services were started in existing facilities under facility-based newborn care program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of six special newborn care units at the district hospitals and 12 newborn stabilization units at the subdistrict/rural hospitals were included in the study. The outcome parameters were analyzed in the admitted babies using statistical tests. RESULTS: The mortality pattern was higher among low-birth-weight and preterm babies. The lower health-care centers had less neonatal deaths, as the neonates were referred. The common causes of admission were neonatal jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome, birth asphyxia, and so on. CONCLUSION: The focus on the high-risk babies needs to be strengthened, as these babies are at a high risk for neonatal mortality.