Invasive care procedures and neonatal sepsis in newborns with very low birth weights: a retrospective descriptive study

Aim: To identify the type of sepsis which affected newborns withvery low birth weight and invasive care procedures to which they were subjected in a university hospital in the city of Niterói, between the years 2008 and 2012. Method: This is a retrospective descriptive study using secondary data research in the medical records of newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital Antônio Pedro. Results: Of the 49 infants studied, 35 were diagnosed with early sepsis, eight with early and late sepsis and six late. The mean gestational age was 30.5 weeks and the weight 1.176,1 kg. The most frequently performed care procedures were: peripheral venipuncture (87.8%), central catheter peripheral venipuncture (81.6%), assistance to ventilation in the delivery room (69.4%) and intubation in the delivery room (28.6%). Conclusion: It is inferred that the lower birth weight is associated with the higher incidence of sepsis.