About DOH Neonatal and Infant Mortality Neonatal Deaths Neonatal deaths are deaths to infants before 28 days.
Infant are especially vulnerable in the first four weeks of life.
Deaths of infants during the first four weeks of life are primarily due to low birth weight and early gestational age. The rates for Hawaii from 1990 through 1992 satisfied the target level for the Year 2000. Because the number of deaths in Hawaii is relatively small, fluctuations are expected, and it is unclear whether the increase in 1993 was spurious or indicative of a public health problem. The leading causes of infant deaths are congenital anomalies, conditions in the perinatal period such as the effects of low birth weight and respiratory distress, and sudden infant death syndrome. Becuse of the relatively small numbers, large variations occur.