Preterm Neonates Admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: Preterm birth, one of the leading causes of admissions to the Neonatal intensive care unit, is a major contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of premature neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care centre. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from clinical records of preterm neonates (born before 37 completed weeks of gestation) admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit from 16 July 2020 to 14 July 2021. Following ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 077/78-018), the patient's clinical characteristics and systemic morbidities were recorded. Convenience sampling was done. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated. Results: Among 646 admissions, the prevalence of preterm neonates was found to be 147 (22.75%) (19.52-25.98, 95% Confidence Interval). The male: female ratio was 1.53:1. The median gestational age and birth weight were 33 weeks (Range: 24-36 weeks) and 1680 g respectively. A total of 73 (49.65%) delivery was followed by premature rupture of membrane. The morbidity due to respiratory problems was highest at 127 (86.39%), followed by metabolic at 104 (70.74%) and sepsis at 91 (61.90%). The renal system was the least affected 5 (3.40%). Conclusions: The prevalence of preterm neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit was higher than in other studies done in similar settings. Keywords: morbidity; neonatal; neonatal intensive care unit; premature birth.