Incidence and outcome of preterm deliveries in Mother and Child Hospital Akure, Southwestern Nigeria

Rosena Olubanke Oluwafemi,Moses Temidayo Abiodun

doi:10.4038/sljch.v45i1.8079

Abstract

Background: Preterm birth contributes significantly to neonatal deaths. Its burden should be defined to enhance interventions especially in resource-limited settings with poor neonatal health indices. Objectives : To determine the incidence of preterm delivery in the Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, to investigate the outcome and explore the relationship between birth weight and neonatal survival. Method : Demographic and clinical features (gestational age, birth weight and outcome) of consecutive preterm infants were documented for one and a half years. Incidence of preterm birth was computed, using total birth as the denominator. Quarterly incidence of preterm birth was presented graphically. Univariate logistic regression analysis of birth weight as a predictor of preterm death was done. P value Results : Of 10,432 births during study period, 1,606 were preterm giving an incidence of preterm births of 15.4%. Among preterm infants, 1,449 (90.2%) had low birth weight (LBW), 123 (7.7%) very low birth weight (VLBW) and 34 (2.1%) extremely low birth weight (ELBW). Most (92.8%) preterm babies were discharged. Prematurity had a case fatality rate (CFR) of 5.6%. Compared to normal birth weight infants, ELBW babies were 250 times and VLBW infants 47.6 times more likely to die. Conclusions : Incidence of preterm delivery in the Mother and Child Hospital, Akure was 15.4%. The CFR of prematurity was 5.6%. ELBW had the highest percentage of deaths (70.6%)

Highlights

Preterm birth constitutes a major strain on human and material resources in neonatal units as well as parental stress
Of 10,432 births during study period, 1,606 were preterm giving an incidence of preterm births of 15.4%
Compared to normal birth weight infants, extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies were 250 times and very low birth weight (VLBW) infants 47.6 times more likely to die. 1Consultant Paediatrician and Head of Department, Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Nigeria, 2Consultant Paediatrician, Department of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. *Correspondence: bankyfem@yahoo.com (Received on 06 January 2015: Accepted after revision on 20 February 2015) The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest Personal funding was used for this project

Summary

Introduction

Preterm birth constitutes a major strain on human and material resources in neonatal units as well as parental stress. 15 million babies are born too soon every year[1]. Regional variations range from 7.4% in Central and Eastern Asia to 13.3% in Southern Asia[1]. Prematurity complicates 12% of all deliveries in the United States of America[2]. In 2010, of births in Sub-Saharan Africa, 12.3% were preterm[1]. In Nigeria, 16% of newborns are low birth weight and 12% are born preterm[3,4]. Preterm birth contributes significantly to neonatal deaths. Its burden should be defined to enhance interventions especially in resource-limited settings with poor neonatal health indices

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Conclusion