Abstract
Background: Preterm birth is a primary cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality especially in low-income countries. Although understanding the preventable factors of neonatal deaths in preterm infants is required for timely interventions, data on those factors is lacking in Kenya. We attempted to determine mortality and its associated factors in preterm babies in Kenya. Methods and Materials: A hospital-based, prospective study was implemented from July 2019 to October 2019 involving 163 preterm neonates and their mothers admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital. A systematic random sampling method was used to recruit the study participants. Data on mortality and the associated factors in preterm neonates were collected using a pretested questionnaire for mothers and neonatal medical records. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The mortality rate was 18.4%. Of the neonates who died, respiratory distress syndrome (63.3%) and neonatal sepsis (20.0%) were documented as the primary causes. Neonates born of single mother (AOR = 8.006, 95% CI 2.267 to 28.272, p = 0.001), unemployed (6.960, 1.059 - 45.757, p = 0.043), self-employed (4.040, 1.067 - 15.302, p = 0.040), anemic (7.465, 2.530 - 22.023, p Conclusion: High mortality rates of preterm neonates are attributed to both maternal and neonatal factors. Focused antenatal care should aim at early identification of high-risk mothers for early management of bleeding during pregnancy, close monitoring of nutritional status for mothers and health education.
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