Objective To explore the related risk factors and prevention and treatment measures of neonatal respiratory failure.Methods Totally 186 neonates with respiratory failure and 188 neonates without respiratory failure in the intensive care unit admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were collected, and the number of primary diseases and related factors of neonatal failure in the two groups were compared.Results The proportion of rural children, preterm delivery, cesarean section, multiple pregnancy, intrauterine distress and pregnancy complications in the study group were higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Among the primary diseases of neonatal respiratory failure, the proportions of amniotic fluid aspiration pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome, respiratory distress syndrome, congenital heart disease and birth asphyxia in the study group were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The results of logistic multivariate analysis showed that preterm delivery, cesarean section, amniotic fluid aspiration pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome and birth asphyxia were the independent risk factors of neonatal respiratory failure (P<0.05).Conclusion The cause of neonatal respiratory failure is related to many factors, so it is necessary to strengthen the monitoring of the living place, premature delivery, cesarean section, amniotic fluid aspiration pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, birth asphyxia and other risk factors.