Introduction

Neonatal mortality is an indicator of the quality of perinatal care and reflects the conditions under which newborns are managed, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to identify the main factors associated with neonatal mortality in the pediatric department of the N’Zérékoré Regional Hospital Center.

Materials And Methods

This was a retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study covering the period from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2024. It included hospitalized newborns aged 0 to 28 days who died. Stillbirths and deaths occurring after 28 days were excluded. Data were collected from hospital registers, medical records, and survey forms. Statistical analysis was performed using R software, with the Chi-square test used to assess statistical associations (p <0.05).

Results

A total of 111 neonatal deaths were recorded out of 426 admissions (26%). The majority of deaths occurred among males (68%) and newborns aged 1 to 7 days (75%). The mean age was 6.68 ± 13.82 days. The leading diagnoses were neonatal infection (42%) and metabolic disorders (16%). Significant associations were found between neonatal mortality and the newborn’s age, mode of delivery, maternal occupation, and maternal education level.

Conclusion

These results highlight the need to improve the quality of obstetric and neonatal care by strengthening maternal health education in order to reduce neonatal mortality.