Abstract
BackgroundWith nearly 15 million annual preterm births globally, preterm birth is the most common cause of neonatal death. Forty to 60 % of neonatal deaths are directly or indirectly associated with preterm mortality. As countries aim to meet the Sustainable Development Goals to reduce neonatal mortality, significant reductions in preterm mortality are needed. This study aims to identify the common causes of preterm illness and their contribution to preterm mortality in low-resource settings. This article will describe the methods used to undertake the study.MethodsThis is a prospective, multi-centre, descriptive clinical study. Socio-demographic, obstetric, and maternal factors, and clinical and laboratory findings will be documented. The major causes of preterm mortality will be identified using clinical, laboratory, imaging, and autopsy methods and use the national Ethiopian guidelines on management of preterm infants including required investigations to reach final diagnoses. The study will document the clinical and management protocols followed in these settings. The approach consists of clinical examinations and monitoring, laboratory investigations, and determination of primary and contributory causes of mortality through both clinical means and by post-mortem examinations. An independent panel of experts will validate the primary and contributory causes of mortality.To obtain the estimated sample size of 5000 preterm births, the study will be undertaken in five hospitals in three regions of Ethiopia, which are geographically distributed across the country. All preterm infants who are either born or transferred to these hospitals will be eligible for the study. Three methods (last menstrual period, physical examination using the New Ballard Score, and ultrasound) will be used to determine gestational age.All clinical procedures will be conducted per hospital protocol and informed consent will be taken from parents or caretakers prior to their participation in the study as well as for autopsy if the infant dies.DiscussionThis study will determine the major causes of death and illness among hospitalized preterm infants in a low-resource setting. The result will inform policy makers and implementers of areas that can be prioritized in order to contribute to a significant reduction in neonatal mortality.
Highlights
With nearly 15 million annual preterm births globally, preterm birth is the most common cause of neonatal death
We describe an approach that will be used for a study about the reasons why preterm babies cared for in 5 hospitals in Ethiopia die
The availability of such data could facilitate the development of an integrated implementation package addressing these common conditions such that a significant reduction in neonatal mortality could be achieved
Summary
With nearly 15 million annual preterm births globally, preterm birth is the most common cause of neonatal death. This study aims to identify the common causes of preterm illness and their contribution to preterm mortality in low-resource settings. National estimates of preterm birth (defined as childbirth at less than 37 completed weeks) for 184 countries have been published for the year 2010 [1] showing nearly 15 million preterm births. In the Global Burden of Disease Study, 3.1% of all disability-adjusted life-years was attributed to preterm birth, similar to the burden of HIV or malaria [2]. The estimated preterm birth rate is 11.1%. Ethiopia is among the top 15 countries that contribute to two-thirds of the world’s preterm babies with an estimated preterm birth rate of 14.1% [3]. Just over a third of these babies died as a result of prematurity-related causes [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
