Introduction & Objective: The main indication of mechanical ventilation is in the treatment of neonates with respiratory failure. With the increased use of mechanical ventilation, its complications have increased too. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of complications and short-term improvement in infants undergoing mechanical ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Materials & Methods: In this prospective-analytic study, all infants requiring mechanical ventilation and admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit of Fatemiyeh and Be’sat hospitals, have been evaluated for one year (2012). Their data included: neonatal age, sex, gestational age, birth weight, weight at admission, diagnosis, length of hospitalization, disease outcome (improvement-died), need for mechanical ventilation, complications and culture results (blood, endotracheal tube, urine, CSF) insert in check list. The data were analysed by SPSS and c² statistical test.

Results:  In this study, a total of 114 infants hospitalized in intensive care unit and needed mechanical ventilation was studied of whom 72 were male and 42 were female. The mean of gestational age in the admitted neonates was 32.9 ± 0.85 weeks. The majority of neonates (80.70%) were undergoing mechanical ventilation with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). 67% of neonates were suffering from complications of mechanical ventilation. The prevalent complication was seen in the neonates was narrowing or obstruction of the endotracheal tube (52.63%). 47.37% of infants died and respiratory distress syndrome was the common cause of death in these neonates (46.29%). In our study, there was significant relationship between resuscitation at birth (P=0.002), time required for mechanical ventilation (P=0.0000) and Apgar score (P=0.0000) and complications of mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions: The results show that the high prevalence of pulmonary complications is associated with mechanical ventilation and decreasing the use of invasive methods of respiratory care and reduced complications can increase the survival rate of these infants.