Pattern, Causes and Treatment Outcomes of Neonatal Admission in the Tamale Teaching Hospital

Neonatal admission generally refers to the admission of newborns under 29 days old into a health facility for medical care. Because neonates are fragile and yet to develop competent immune system, they are prone to infections, and most of the illnesses they acquire usually require critical care, hence their admission to the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Neonatal infections may begin in-utero, early in labour or postpartum. The causes of neonatal admissions are not limited to infections but also non-infectious causes including metabolic, genetic and developmental defects.

Factors influencing neonatal admissions include socio-cultural and behavioral effects such as illiteracy, socioeconomic deprivation, traditional beliefs, and foetal gender bias preferences of parents.

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