Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Post neonatal mortality refers to deaths between 28 days and 1 year of life. It represents about one third of infant death. Post neonatal death rates vary according to causative factors in each area of the world.
OBJECTIVE:
To study the post neonatal mortality and its major causes in Children Welfare Teaching Hospital (CWTH) - Medical City /Baghdad.
METHODS:
The medical records of 782 post neonatal deaths who were admitted to CWTH from 1st jan.2007 - 31st Dec. 2009 were studied, especially for the causes of death as registered in the files.
RESULTS:
The overall post neonatal death rate in the study period was 71.4 per 1000 of post neonatal admissions. Out of 782 total post neonatal deaths, males were 465 (59.5 %) and females were 317(40.5 %). Major causes of death were; pneumonia (24.8 % ), gastro intestinal (22.8 %), infection (18.4 % ) ,cardiovascular (10.3 % ), central nervous system ( 9.8 % ),surgical (4.9 %), renal problems (4.9 % ), malignant causes(2.7 % ),congenital anomalies (0.7 %),inborn error of metabolism(0.7 %) of total post neonatal deaths.
The results of this study indicate that post neonatal death rates are still high in a tertiary referral pediatric teaching hospital in Baghdad.