Iatrogenic events -- that is to say, harm caused by medicine or medical mistakes -- occur frequently and are often serious in high-risk newborns, particularly among infants of low birthweight.
A prospective study of 388 neonates recorded 267 iatrogenic events in 116 patients, for an incidence of more than 25 per every 1000 patient days. Seventy-eight events were severe, resulting in disability, death, or extended hospital stay, and ninety-two events were preventable.
Cutaneous injury was the most common event, but infections accounted for two-thirds of the severe incidents.