Preterms in the Neonatal Care Unit at Babylon Maternity and Children Hospital: Prevalence, Morbidity, Mortality, and Risk Factors

Faisal Laftah, Rehab

	Preterms in the Neonatal Care Unit at Babylon Maternity and Children Hospital: Prevalence, Morbidity, Mortality, and Risk Factors
Kerbala Journal of Medicine
Article 1, Volume 8, Issue 2, 2015, Pages 2214-2221 PDF (0 K)
Author
Rehab Faisal Laftah
Abstract
background: Prematurity and its complications are the major cause for neonatal morbidity and mortality. Often, the cause of preterm labor is unknown, but several etiological risk factors have been identified Objective: Regardless the causes for hospitalization, this study was designed to determine the prevalence, mortality, morbidity (determined by duration of hospitalization and referral to pediatric intensive care unit PICU) of preterm baby among patients admitted into the neonatal care unit, and some of the possible underlying risk factors for preterm births. Method: During a period of seven months from 2 December 2012 to 28 June 2013, a nonrandomized sample consisted of 200 neonates that had been admitted into neonatal care unit “NCU” at Babylon Maternity and Children Hospital was involved in this cross sectional descriptive study. Same questionnaire was applied for all cases, then patients were divided into 2 groups according to gestational age (<37w and ≥37). Test of proportion and chi-square were used to determine significant differences between the groups. Results: Prematurity and its complications are responsible for 72/200 (36%) of neonatal hospitalization and 3/6 (50%) of neonatal death. Females constitute 35/72 (48.61%) of preterms and 44/138 (34.37%) of terms with p value < 0.05. 8/48 (16.66%) of preterms and 7/95 (7.36%) of terms need referral to PICU with p value > 0.05. Regarding hospitalization, preterms had longer duration than term neonates (p value <0.05). 51/187 (27.27%) of neonate had been discharged on their parents’ responsibility, and 20/51 (39.21%) was preterm. Multiple gestation is a risk factor for death in preterm babies, while obstetrical factors had a correlation with the occurrence of preterm births (p value <0.05), with premature rupture of membrane being at the top of the list. Conclusion: Prematurity and its complications are the major causes for neonatal hospitalization and death and need longer duration of hospitalization than terms. For preterm birth, females are at greater risk and the presence of obstetrical factors increase its occurrence
Keywords
Preterm; neonatal; prevalence; Babylon

Statistics Article View: 155 PDF Download: 104