OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk factors associated with neonatal deaths in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a pri-vate hospital in the city of Taubaté (SP), Brazil, from 2005 to 2007, using the Cox regression analysis. METHODS: Longitudinal epidemiological study with data retrieved from medical records of all newborn admitted to a private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit from January 2005 to December 2007. The primary outcome was the neonatal mortality and independent variables were those concerning maternal and neonatal characteristics. Univariate analysis included chisquare test, relative risk and the Kaplan-Meier survival plot for each variable. Multivariate analysis to test association of independent variables with neonatal mortal-ity was performed by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: 185 neonates were enrolled in the study and 10.5% died before the 28th day of life. Variables that were significantly associated to neonatal death by the Cox regression analysis model were birthweight <1500g, 5th minute Apgar score <7, mechanical ventilation and previous stillbirth. CONCLUSIONS: The variables with good adjustment in the Cox model for neonatal death are those associated to pre-natal maternal care and the quality of infant's care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
neonatal mortality (Public Health); survival analysis; intensive care, neonatal