Clinical Outcomes of Premature Neonates Admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, South South Nigeria

Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal mortality globally, and outcomes for premature neonates in Nigerian hospitals are influenced by gestational age at birth, availability of neonatal care equipment, and staffing capacity. This retrospective descriptive study evaluates the clinical outcomes of premature neonates admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Edo State, South South Nigeria, over a three-year period from January 2021 to December 2023. Medical records of 198 premature neonates (gestational age below 37 weeks) were reviewed. Variables included gestational age, birth weight, Apgar scores, morbidities (respiratory distress, hypoglycaemia, hypothermia, jaundice, sepsis), interventions administered, and outcome at discharge. Survival rate was 69.2%. Neonates of 28 to 31 weeks gestation had a survival rate of 42.1%, compared to 84.7% for those of 34 to 36 weeks. Common morbidities included neonatal jaundice (68.2%), respiratory distress syndrome (54.0%), hypothermia (49.0%), and sepsis (38.9%). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy was available but utilised in only 44.9% of eligible neonates due to equipment limitations. Kangaroo mother care was practised in 61.6% of eligible stable neonates. The study recommends prioritising SCBU equipment investment, training nurses in neonatal resuscitation, and scaling up kangaroo mother care programmes. Keywords: preterm neonate, SCBU, survival, Irrua, South South Nigeria.