DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sajp.2026.v15i10.001

Pages: 220-228

Introduction: Prematurity is a major public health problem and remains the leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. Objective: To study the epidemiological, maternal and developmental profile of premature newborns hospitalized in neonatology at the CHR of Laâyoune. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive and analytical study conducted in the neonatology department of the Moulay Hassan Ben El Mehdi Regional Hospital in Laâyoune, over a period from January 2023 to January 2026. All premature newborns hospitalized during this period were included. Results: Of the hospitalized premature newborns, 80% came from the maternity ward and 20% were referred from other facilities. The average maternal age was 32 years. The majority of mothers lived in urban areas (75%), and 93% were married. A middle socioeconomic level was found in 41.7% of cases, and 20% of mothers had a secondary education. First-time mothers represented 64.4% of cases. Pregnancies were singleton in 85% of cases and multiple in 15%. Regarding prenatal care, 15% of pregnancies were not monitored; 48.3% of mothers had three prenatal consultations, while 5.3% had only one. The main maternal pathologies were premature rupture of membranes (12.1%), maternal infections (8.6%), and hypertension/preeclampsia (6.9%). Parental consanguinity was noted in 12.1% of cases, and a history of prematurity in 3.4%. In the neonatal period, 64.9% of newborns were born before 32 weeks of gestation. Vaginal delivery occurred in 72.7% of cases. A male predominance was observed (58.6%). Respiratory distress was the most frequent complication (76.7%). Several newborns received antibiotic therapy for a duration ranging from one day to two weeks. The outcome was favorable in 69.5% of cases. Neonatal mortality was 25.9%, and 6.9% of newborns were transferred to other facilities. Conclusion: Prematurity in southern Morocco remains associated with high morbidity and mortality. Improving prenatal care, preventing m