ObjectiveTo explore the incidence, treatment and prognosis of neonatal respiratory failure (NRF). MethodsThe clinical data of 421 neonates with NRF treated between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. ResultsThe incidence and the mortality of NRF was 4.8% and 14.5%, respectively. The main primary disease of NRF was neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (36.1%) and aspiration pneumonia (29.0%). Mechanical ventilation was the main treatment for NRF (77.2%). Premature (χ2=12.216, P<0.001), low birth weight (χ2=8.932, P=0.003) and the neonatal asphyxia (χ2=6.199, P=0.013) were closely related to the prognosis of NRF, which were the risk factors of the death of NRF. ConclusionNRF is a disease with high incidence and high mortality; make effective prevention and treatment measures are important to improve the success rate of therapy for NRF.