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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Research article

Prevalence and associated factors of birth asphyxia among live births at Debre Tabor General Hospital, North Central Ethiopia

Authors: Wubet Alebachew Bayih, Getachew Yideg Yitbarek, Yared Asmare Aynalem, Biruk Beletew Abate, Aragaw Tesfaw, Metadel Yibeltal Ayalew, Demeke Mesfin Belay, Habtamu Shimelis Hailemeskel, Abebaw Yeshambel Alemu

Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

More than one third of the neonatal deaths at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Debre Tabor General Hospital (DTGH) are attributable to birth asphyxia. Most of these neonates are referred from the maternity ward in the hospital. Concerns have also been raised regarding delayed intrapartum decisions for emergency obstetrics action in the hospital. However, there has been no recent scientific evidence about the exact burden of birth asphyxia and its specific determinants among live births at maternity ward of DTGH. Moreover, the public health importance of delivery time and professional mix of labor attendants haven’t been addressed in the prior studies.

Methods

Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted on a sample of 582 mother newborn dyads at maternity ward. Every other mother newborn dyad was included from December 2019 to March 2020. Pre-tested structured questionnaire and checklist were used for data collection. The collected data were processed and entered into Epidata version 4.2 and exported to Stata version 14. Binary logistic regressions were fitted and statistical significance was declared at p less than 0.05 with 95% CI.

Results

The prevalence of birth asphyxia was 28.35% [95% CI: 26.51, 35.24%]. From the final model, fetal mal-presentation (AOR = 6.96: 3.16, 15.30), premature rupture of fetal membranes (AOR = 6.30, 95% CI: 2.45, 16.22), meconium stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 7.15: 3.07, 16.66), vacuum delivery (AOR =6.21: 2.62, 14.73), night time delivery (AOR = 6.01: 2.82, 12.79) and labor attendance by medical interns alone (AOR = 3.32:1.13, 9.78) were positively associated with birth asphyxia at 95% CI.

Conclusions

The prevalence of birth asphyxia has remained a problem of public health importance in the study setting. Therefore, the existing efforts of emergency obstetric and newborn care should be strengthened to prevent birth asphyxia from the complications of fetal mal-presentation, premature rupture of fetal membranes, meconium stained amniotic fluid and vacuum delivery. Moreover, night time deliveries and professional mixes of labor and/delivery care providers should be given more due emphasis.
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Metadata
Title
Prevalence and associated factors of birth asphyxia among live births at Debre Tabor General Hospital, North Central Ethiopia
Authors
Wubet Alebachew Bayih
Getachew Yideg Yitbarek
Yared Asmare Aynalem
Biruk Beletew Abate
Aragaw Tesfaw
Metadel Yibeltal Ayalew
Demeke Mesfin Belay
Habtamu Shimelis Hailemeskel
Abebaw Yeshambel Alemu
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2393
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-03348-2

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