Neonatal mortalities refer to deaths of infants during the first month of life. The word is pronounced /niːoʊˈneɪtəl mɔrˈtælətiz/. In IPA phonetic transcription, 'neonatal' is pronounced /niːoʊˈneɪtəl/ and 'mortalities' is pronounced /mɔrˈtælətiz/. The word is spelled using standard Latin-based orthography, with the addition of an 'e' in 'neonatal' to represent the long vowel sound /iː/ and the '-ies' suffix in 'mortalities' to denote its plural form. This term is commonly used in medical contexts to describe deaths of newborns and is a critical area of study in public health.
Neonatal mortalities refer to the death of newborn infants within the first 28 days of life. It is a term used in medical and public health contexts to describe the number or rate of deaths occurring in the early stages of infancy. Neonatal mortality is a crucial indicator of the quality of healthcare provided for newborns, the overall well-being and health of mothers, and the effectiveness of public health initiatives aimed at improving infant health outcomes.
These mortalities are often categorized into two distinct periods: early neonatal mortality, which includes deaths that occur within the first week after birth, and late neonatal mortality, which encompasses deaths occurring between the second and fourth weeks of life. Neonatal mortalities can result from various causes, including congenital birth defects, prematurity, low birth weight, infections, asphyxia during childbirth, lack of access to adequate healthcare, and complications arising from maternal health conditions.
Monitoring and reducing neonatal mortalities is a key priority for healthcare systems and public health programs globally. Strategies to prevent these deaths may include improving prenatal and antenatal care, promoting good maternal nutrition, enhancing access to skilled birthing attendants, ensuring the availability of essential newborn care services, and implementing effective postnatal care programs. Accurate data on neonatal mortalities are essential for evaluating the success of these interventions, identifying areas for improvement, and developing appropriate policies and interventions to reduce infant mortality rates.
The word "neonatal mortalities" is a combination of two terms: "neonatal" and "mortalities". Here is the etymology of each term:
1. Neonatal:
The term "neonatal" originates from the Greek words "neon" meaning "newborn" and "natalis" meaning "pertaining to birth". It was first used in the early 20th century to describe the period immediately after birth and is mainly used in medical and healthcare contexts to refer to infants in the first 28 days of life.
2. Mortalities:
The term "mortalities" is derived from the Latin word "mortalitas", which means "state of being mortal" or "subject to death". The word "mortality" refers to the condition of being mortal or the number of deaths in a particular population or period.