Life-threatening conditions at birth: an analysis of causes of death and survival estimate for under-five children in live birth cohorts

Despite the reduction in under-five mortality, the causes are still mostly avoidable, and survival may be compromised by life-threatening conditions at birth. The study estimated the burden of life-threatening conditions at birth, neonatal near miss, and mortality, with an emphasis on avoidable causes, as well as under-five survival in live birth cohorts. This was a retrospective cohort study of live birth in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2012-2016). The databases from the Brazilian Information System on Live Births and the Brazilian Mortality Information System were linked. Pragmatic criteria were used to define life-threatening conditions and near miss. Deaths were classified according to the Brazilian list of causes of avoidable deaths. Morbidity and mortality and survival indicators were estimated (Kaplan-Meier). Of the 425,505 live birth , 2.2% presented life-threatening conditions at birth. The under-five, infant and neonatal mortality rates were 0.01, 0.06, and 14.97 per 1,000 person-days, respectively. Avoidable, unclearly avoidable, and ill-defined causes accounted respectively for 61%, 35%, and 4% of the deaths. The risk of death from avoidable causes attributable to life-threatening conditions at birth was 97.6%. Survival was lower in newborns with life-threatening conditions compared to those without life-threatening conditions. The pragmatic criteria for life-threatening conditions determined the profile of proportional mortality by causes of death according to the three groups of causes in the Brazilian list of causes of avoidable deaths. Life-threatening conditions at birth increases the risk of morbidity and mortality in under-five children and raises the discussion on vulnerability and the need for care for these children and social support for their families.