| Abstract: | 175 newborns who were admitted to an orphanage in the year 1975–1976 and subsequently died are analysed. Illegitimacy was the major cause for abandoning the babies. 46% of the babies were born in hospitals. 5 babies had congenital anomalies and 11 babies had marks of external injury. 58.8% of the babies abandoned were girls, 82.7% of the babies weighed less than 2.5 kgs. and had some degree of intrauterine growth retardation. The major cause of death was infections which accounted for 79.3% of deaths, of which gastroenteritis (43.4%) was the main killer. Septicemia and bronchopneumonia were the two other major infections that contributed to the deaths. Infections were more common in the low weight babies. Gastroenteritis was probably acquired after introduction of top feeds, due to poor hygiene and occured in all age groups. Majority of babies died of septicemia within 7 days of admission suggesting antenatal and natal infections. Chances of survival increased with increasing weight of the baby. |
