Date Posted: June 10, 2026

Author/s: Jennifer Mari E. Catapang, MD and Naomi S. Nocheseda, MD

Background: Mechanical ventilation is one of the important advancements in neonatal intensive care that improves survival. Many unwell preterm newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) require mechanical ventilation for a variety of clinical problems, but this is fraught with complications, and the outcome is unpredictable.

Objective: The research aimed to determine the clinical profile and outcomes of preterm neonates who required mechanical ventilation in a tertiary private hospital in Quezon City.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted in a tertiary private hospital in Quezon City on preterm neonates who required mechanical ventilation from the year 2016-2022 using chart review. Frequency distribution and proportions, mean and standard deviations were used to describe the profile and outcomes of the preterm neonates.

Results: A total of 147 preterm neonates were included in the study. Most preterm neonates were 30-33 weeks age of gestation (42.2%), male (63.3%),  inborn (95.9%), and t delivered via cesarean section (65.3%). There were 27 preterm neonates (18.4%) who were treated with surfactant therapy. The most common indications for mechanical ventilation were respiratory distress syndrome (n=75,  51%) followed by pneumonia  (n=43, 29%). The survival rate of neonates who had mechanical ventilation was 81.6%. The mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 14.4 (± 10.12) days, and mean hospital stay was 24.4 (±21.18) days. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (40%) was identified as the most common complication in preterm neonates on mechanical ventilation.

Conclusion: Majority of the preterm neonates requiring mechanical ventilation are early preterm, low birth weight, male and delivered via cesarean section.  They usually have respiratory distress syndrome and majority of them survive. Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a common complication of mechanical ventilation among preterm neonates.

Keywords:
Neonates, mechanical ventilation, respiratory distress syndrome