Factors associated with preventable infant mortality in 2020: a Brazilian population-based study.
Mikaelly Rayanne Moraes Sousa, Cristina Maria Garcia de Lima Parada, Hélio Rubens de Carvalho Nunes
PMID 39319962WHAT IT FOUND
Preventable neonatal deaths were linked to birth in the North or Northeast, home birth, prematurity, and multiple pregnancies.
Post-neonatal deaths were linked to low maternal education, non-hospital death locations, and brown or yellow race. Cesarean section was associated with lower risk for both groups.
Key findings
01Risk factors for preventable neonatal death included birth in the North or Northeast regions, home birth, maternal education of 4-7 years, multiple pregnancies, and gestational age of 28-36 weeks.
02Risk factors for preventable post-neonatal death included brown or yellow race, maternal education up to 11 years, death outside of hospitals, and gestational age of 28-31 weeks.
03Cesarean section was identified as a protective factor against preventable death in both the neonatal and post-neonatal periods.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used a secondary database, which restricts data quality control and lacks details on whether cesarean sections were elective or emergency. The analysis focused on the proportion of preventable deaths rather than mortality rates. The sample excluded infants weighing less than 1,500 g, potentially omitting the most severe cases of prematurity. The finding regarding yellow race as a risk factor for post-neonatal death is based on a very small number of cases (n=7) and should be interpreted with caution.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the protective effect of cesarean section as a recommendation for surgical birth. The study could not distinguish between elective and emergency cesareans, so the lower risk may reflect better medical management of complicated pregnancies rather than the mode of delivery itself.