Abstract
The prevalence of deaths related to the neonatal component, mainly of an early nature, is quite significant. The objective was to understand the most frequent causes of death in neonates living in the city of Lagarto, northeastern Brazil. This is an observational, documentary study, with a qualitative and quantitative approach, based on data from the Mortality Information System and the Child Death Investigation Forms, between 2017 and 2018. It was considered 26 deaths for the study. Descriptive statistics were used. Bacterial septicemia and respiratory disorders were the most frequent causes. The variables male gender, birth weight <2. 500g, urinary tract infection, changes in the unrecorded urine summary / culture, gestational age that the baby was born <37 weeks and absence of the use of the partograph were associated with the outcomes of the deaths. There is a need for improvements to comprehensive prenatal, delivery and neonatal care.