Introduction: Neonatal morbidity and mortality rates reflect a nation’s socioeconomic status as well as the efficiency of their health care services. The objective of this study is to identify the disease spectrum and the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality in this group of babies.

Methods: The study was a retrospective study of all the newborns admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit of the Department of Pediatrics, SVRRGGH, Tirupathi.   

Results: A total of 1289 newborns were admitted to NICU during the study period of which 696 (56.5%) were term, 537 (43.5%) were preterm. The most common disease was sepsis (35.5%) followed by birth asphyxia (31.5%), neonatal jaundice (10.2%), hyaline membrane disease (12.6%), meconium aspiration syndrome (11%), congenital malformations (4%) and hypoglycemia (5%). Out of 1233 patients, 276 expired (22.3%). The common causes of mortality were sepsis (35.5%), hyaline membrane disease (27.6%) and hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy stage 3 (23.1%).

Conclusion: Neonatal period is a very vulnerable period with a high risk of morbidity and mortality which is preventable with good obstetric care and subsequent neonatal care.