TITLE:
Epidemiological and Clinical Profile of Newborns Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Mother and Child Health Unit, Cocody University Hospital
AUTHORS:
Augustine Djivohessoun, Isabelle Djoman, André Marius Gro Bi, Amoro Mansou, Russel Mambou, Charlene Sorho, Prisca N’Gatta, Corine Goli, Cyprien Kouakou, Amorissani Folquet
KEYWORDS:
Newborn, Neonatal Intensive Care, Mortality, Cote d’Ivoire
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.15 No.6,
November
7,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Neonatal mortality remains a major public health concern, accounting for nearly half of all deaths among children under five. In sub-Saharan Africa, neonatal mortality rates remain high, ranging between 30 and 37 per 1000 live births. In Côte d’Ivoire, the rate is estimated at 32‰, but data on newborns hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are still limited. Objective: To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Cocody University Hospital and to identify the main factors associated with neonatal death. Methods: This descriptive and analytical study was conducted from January to May 2025 in the Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Pediatrics (Mother and Child Health Unit) of the University Hospital of Cocody, Abidjan. All newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) during the study period were included. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results: A total of 160 newborns were included. Male infants predominated (59.4%), and 65% were preterm. The main reasons for admission were respiratory distress (37.5%), prematurity (32.5%), and neonatal sepsis (13.7%). The most frequent conditions were early-onset bacterial neonatal infection (93.8%) and hyaline membrane disease (51.9%). The overall neonatal mortality rate was 39.4%. Factors significantly associated with death included an Apgar score Conclusion: Neonatal mortality at Cocody University Hospital remains high, mainly due to complications of prematurity, respiratory distress, and infections. Strengthening intrapartum care, management of preterm infants, and neonatal monitoring is essential to reduce neonatal lethality.