Abstract
Objective: To estimate the rate of readmission of infants in a neonatal intensive care unit in Manaus, Amazonas. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 860 infants with a history of hospitalization in a neonatal intensive care unit before 28 days of life, admitted to a public maternity hospital in Manaus, between the years 2014 and 2019. The data were obtained from medical records and admission and discharge books of the institution. Descriptive analyses were conducted to analyze the data and to identify the associations between variables being Fisher's Exact applied. Results: The rate of readmission of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit was 4.8%, with a predominance of males (64.2%), born by cesarean section (66.6%), with gestational age ≤ 36 weeks (78.5%). The highest prevalence of rehospital causes was infectious and parasitic diseases (54.7). Low birth weight was associated with readmission (p=0.04). Conclusion: The readmission rate and causes of readmission in a neonatal intensive care unit suggest the need to discuss the quality and organization of perinatal care in the city of Manaus.