A Prospective Observational Study of Evaluation of Neonatal Trigger Score (NTS) as an Early Warning System (EWS) in Postnatal Wards

The early identification of neonates at risk of medical deterioration is crucial, particularly in postnatal wards where specialized neonatal care may not always be immediately accessible. This prospective observational study, carried out at ACS Medical College from March 2023 to March 2024, explores the effectiveness of the Neonatal Trigger Score (NTS) as a practical tool for non-specialist staff to recognize subtle signs of illness in newborns. It is evident that out of 750 neonates, 18.1% triggered the NTS, with a significant proportion requiring medical intervention. Notably, a score of 1 demonstrated high sensitivity (99.14%) for initiating medical reviews, while a score of 2 showed a strong association with NICU admissions. This suggests that the NTS, when used consistently, enables timely escalation of care, potentially reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality. The study not only validates previous findings from Western contexts but also highlights the relevance of such scoring systems in Indian healthcare settings. That said, the findings underline a pressing need for broader research and adoption of neonatal early warning tools to safeguard newborn health, particularly in resource-constrained environments.