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Common Neonatal Emergencies in Zaria

Background: Neonatal mortality remains high and currently accounts for about 54 and 29% of infant and under-five mortality rates, respectively, in Nigeria. Newborn deaths usually result from varying causes, some of which are neonatal emergencies. The study was conducted to document neonatal emergencies and their relative contributions to newborn death. Patients: and Methods A retrospective review of emergency cases admitted into the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria in Northwestern Nigeria over an 18-month period (January 2013–June 2014) detailing information on age, sex, place of delivery, birth weight and outcome. Results: About 70% (700/997) of the admissions were the emergency cases of which severe neonatal jaundice, sepsis and perinatal asphyxia accounted for 96%. A mortality of 9.8% was recorded with the case fatality rates of 5, 11, 18.8 and 25% for severe neonatal jaundice, neonatal sepsis, perinatal asphyxia and neonatal tetanus, respectively. Overall, neonatal emergencies accounted for 68% of neonatal mortality in the SCBU. Outborns were 1.4 times more likely to die from these emergencies compared to inborns. Conclusion: Neonatal emergencies constitute a major proportion of admissions and deaths in Zaria. Efforts should be directed at the prevention of the three major emergencies (neonatal jaundice, sepsis, perinatal asphyxia) identified and provision of available, accessible and affordable neonatal healthcare services.