TITLE:
Factors Associated with Neonatal Mortality in Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Study at Dalal Jamm National Hospital in Dakar
AUTHORS:
Ndeye Fatou Sow, Aminata Mbaye, Yaay Joor Dieng, Amadou Sow, Djibril Boiro, Guilaye Diagne, Awa Kane, Abou Ba
KEYWORDS:
Prematurity, Neonatal Mortality, Prenatal Care, Neonatal Sepsis, Senegal
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.16 No.1,
January
23,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Prematurity remains a leading cause of neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, epidemiological profile, and risk factors for mortality among preterm infants admitted to the newly opened neonatal unit of Dalal Jamm Hospital, a referral center in the suburbs of Dakar. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive, and analytic study over a 24-month period (March 2021 - March 2023). All preterm newborns (Results: Out of 651 admissions, 237 were preterm infants, representing a hospital prevalence of 36.4%. Most of mothers came from suburban areas (67.9%), and 60.3% had attended fewer than four antenatal care visits (ANC). The main reasons for admission were respiratory distress (37.6%) and risk of infection (25.7%). The overall mortality rate was 27%, rising to 44.4% in infants born before 28 weeks. Factors significantly associated with mortality were lack of antenatal care (p = 0.04), grand multiparity (p = 0.01), extremely low gestational age (p = 0.02), and early-onset neonatal sepsis (p Conclusion: Prematurity at Dalal Jamm Hospital is characterized by a high burden and significant mortality among extreme preterm infants. Improving outcomes requires strengthening antenatal care coverage in the suburbs and reinforcing infection prevention and control measures within the neonatal unit.