OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for neonatal death in São José dos Campos (SP) Brazil. METHODS: This longitudinal study retrieved data obtained from the Brazilian Birth and Death Certificates of neonates born to mothers living in São José dos Campos, Brazil, from 2003 up to 2004. Variables associated to neonatal death were analyzed by multivariate analysis using the Cox model. Independent variables were: maternal age, maternal educational level, number of previous stillbirths, number of children alive in the family, single or multiple pregnancy, gestation length, type of delivery, sex, birth weight, 1st and 5th minute Apgar scores. Significance was set at p<0.05 RESULTS: There were 131 deaths up to the 28th day after birth during the study period. Results were expressed in relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Gestational age <37 weeks (RR 6.92; 95%CI 3.64-13.17), 5th minute Apgar score <7 (RR 3.14; 95%CI 1.95-5.04), 1st minute Apgar score <7 (RR 3.48; CI 2.17-5.60) and low birth weight (RR 4.49; 95%CI 3.36-8.53) were associated with neonatal death in the final model. CONCLUSIONS: Variables associated with neonatal death in São José dos Campos, Brazil, are related to quality of health care during prenatal and perinatal periods.
neonatal mortality; survival analysis; infant, newborn; infant, low birth weight; risk factors
