Neonatal morbidity and maternal factors in preterm newborns treated at a tertiary-level hospital, Valencia - Venezuela
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61286/e-RPM.2026.411Keywords:
Neonatal morbidity; Preterm newborn; Neonatal sepsis; Adolescent pregnancy; Prenatal care.Abstract
Objective: To describe neonatal morbidity and maternal factors in preterm newborns admitted to the "Dr. José María Vargas" Maternity and Child Hospital, a tertiary-level center in Valencia, state of Carabobo, Venezuela, from January to June 2024. Materials and methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective study was conducted. A convenience sample of 100 maternal clinical records and 102 records of preterm newborns hospitalized in the Neonatology Service was reviewed; the difference accounted for two multiple gestations. Only records with more than 80.0% complete data for the variables of interest were included. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as absolute and relative frequencies. Results: Among the mothers, the sample was characterized by a predominance of young age (36.0% aged 14–20 years and 24.0% aged 21–27 years), a secondary level of education (72.0%), and single marital status (80.0%). Forty-six percent (46.0%) of the mothers received no prenatal care. The most frequent pregnancy-related conditions were urinary tract infections (42.0%) and bacterial vaginosis (21.0%). Within the neonatal population, 89.2% belonged to the late preterm category. The main recorded morbidity was neonatal sepsis (81.4%), followed by respiratory distress syndrome due to prematurity (56.9%); suctioning of secretions as an initial resuscitation measure was required in 79.4% of cases. Conclusions: The most frequent cause of neonatal morbidity was infectious complications, such as neonatal sepsis, surpassing respiratory disorders associated with prematurity. This epidemiological pattern occurred within a context of high social and obstetric vulnerability, characterized by teenage pregnancy, genitourinary infections, and a lack of prenatal care. These findings highlight the priority need to strengthen the early detection of pregnant women and optimize the prevention of maternal infections at the primary level of care.
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