Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access

Abstract

Survival Status and Predictors of Neonatal Mortality among Neonates Who were Admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Arba Minch General Hospital, Southern Ethiopia

Samuel Dessu, Feleke Gebremeskel, Getu Alemu and Busera Seman

Background: Neonatal mortality is the death of new-born occurring within the 28th day of life. Almost 2/3rd of infant deaths occur in the 1st month of life, among these, more than 2/3rd dies in their 1st week and among those also, 2/3rd dies in their 1st 24 hours. The objective of this study was to assess the survival status and predictors of Neonatal mortality among Neonates admitted in the Neonatal intensive care unit of Arba Minch General Hospital, Southern Ethiopia.
Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 332 selected Neonates who were admitted in Neonatal intensive care unit at Arba Minch General Hospital. Data were collected from randomly selected charts using computer-generated random numbers. Data were entered into Epi-info version 3.5.1 and exported to SPSS V 23 for analysis. The Kaplan Meier survival curve together with log-rank test was fitted to test the survival time. Statistically, significance was declared at p-value<0.05 with AHR of 95% CI in the multivariable analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model.
Result: About 19.4%, 58.2% and 91% of neonates died within the 1st 24 hours, 1st 3 days and within 1st 7 days respectively. The cumulative proportion of surviving at the end of the 1st, 7th, 14th and 21st day was 96.1%, 75 %, 69.9%, and 66.2% respectively. Mothers time of rupture of membrane >12 hours before delivery (AHR:2.6; 95% CI: 1.28, 5.34), Mother who gave birth order 2-4 (AHR:2.5; 95% CI:1.21, 5.34), Mothers who have birth order >5 (AHR: 7.1; 95% CI:3.54, 14.42) and neonates who have 5th minute APGAR score <5 (AHR:5.2; 95% CI:3.08, 8.79) were the independent predictors of Neonatal mortality.
Conclusions: The number of neonatal mortality is high in the 1st 24 hrs, 1st 3 days and 1st seven of admission and minimal death after half of the neonatal period and afterward. Mothers who have rupture of membrane >12 hours, Birth order and APGAR score were the independent predictors of Neonatal mortality.