Aspectos clínicos de recém-nascidos admitidos em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de hospital de referência da Região Norte do Brasil Clinical aspects of newborns admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the reference hospital in the northern region from Brazil

Introduction: The knowledge of the characteristics of birth and newborn deaths, the biological conditions of pregnancy and delivery, as well as the neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), available through epidemiological studies can support care actions in maternal health and child, minimizing the occurrence of injuries and planning a more appropriate care. Objective: To describe the clinical aspects of newborns admitted in the reference hospital’s NICU in the northern region of the country. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive and documentary study with a simple random sample composed of 318 medical records of newborns admitted in the NICU in 2013, collected through structured form during the months from April to July of 2014. It was performed the simple descriptive analysis of data. Results: The sample consisted of male newborns (53.14%), premature (92.14%) and low birth weight (80.5%), with appropriate Apgar at 1st and 5th minutes and without using exogenous surfactant (54.72%). Their mothers consisted of young adults, with inadequate prenatal care (72.6%), cesarean deliveries (56.0%) without antenatal corticosteroids (91.19%) and from the interior of the state (44.0%). Prematurity was the main cause of admission to the unit (77.04%). Neonates required ventilatory support, oxygen therapy and physical therapy (92.14%). In total 55% of the deaths occurred early, being the main cause septic shock (40.83%). Conclusion: These results reveal the characteristics of newborns this unit which can contribute in directing public actions aimed at disease prevention and the promotion of maternal and newborn health at regional and national level.