Prognosis of Newborns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units: An Integrative Review

• Published in: Revista de pesquisa, cuidado é fundamental Vol. 11; no. 3; pp. 748 - 755
• Main Authors: Fernandes, Maria Márcia da Silva Melo, dos Santos, Ariane Gomes, Santiago, Anna Katharinne Carreiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Rio de Janeiro Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem 01-04-2019
• Subjects: Babies; Birth weight; Caribbean literature; Childrens health; Health sciences; Hospitalization; Infant mortality; Intensive care; Internet; Medical prognosis; Neonatal care; Newborn babies; Pediatrics
• ISSN: 2175-5361
• DOI: 10.9789/2175-5361.2019.v11i3.748-755

INTRODUCTION Nowadays, one of the greatest challenges for the Brazilian public health is reducing neonatal mortality through the implementation of public policies aimed at qualifying care. [...]providing resolute care, from prenatal care to newborn care, leads to a reduction in injuries, which favors an increase in survival, especially for newborns at risk.1 These newborns at risk require special care in neonatal units according to their needs. [...]the care delivered by health professionals have to be considered. [...]the main reasons for this hospitalization are: respiratory discomfort, low birth weight, congenital malformation and prematurity, which is the main cause.3-5 The aforementioned conditions can potentially cause irreversible side-effects, and many of them can be avoided by means of an appropriate care focused on the newborn's needs. [...]the lower the GA, the greater the possibility that no resuscitation techniques will be available for the newborn, due to the characteristics that are intrinsic to prematurity.13 In a retrospective cohort study, it was observed that better glycemic control and modern management reduced the incidence of extremely preterm infants, reducing the neonatal mortality.24 GA is directly related to low birth weight, that is, to the occurrence of preterm birth, thus being one of the main causes of morbimortality in newborns. According to two of the selected studies, birth weight was evidenced as one of the most important factors for the survival of newborns. [...]the greater the weight, the better the neonatal prognosis.10,13 Low birth weight and prematurity with GA < 34 weeks are also associated with sepsis, jaundice, and bilirubin levels, and low thyroxine levels.