FERTILITY DESIRE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ART USER REPRODUCTIVE AGE

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, there are different programs, policies, and strategies that work on prevention and care of preterm birth neonates but preterm birth till a global health problem. However, study on the incidence of mortality and its predictors among preterm neonates scarce in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess incidence of mortality and its predictors among preterm neonates admitted at neonatal intensive care unit in South Gondar zone public hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020. Method: A multi-centered Hospital based retrospective follow up study was conducted among preterm neonates admitted at neonatal intensive care unit in South Gondar Zone public Hospitals from January 2018 to January 30 ix

th 2020. Systematic random sampling was used to get 645 preterm neonates. Data were entered in to EPI-data version 4.6 and exported to Stata version 14 for analysis. Kaplan Meier failure curve and Log rank test was used to compare survival probability of preterm neonates with categorical variables. Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify predictors and hazard ratio with 95% CI was computed and variables with P-value < 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were taken as significant predictors for the incidence of mortality. Results: A total of 645 preterm neonates which contributed to 6445 person-days were included in the study. The overall incidence rate of preterm neonatal mortality was 34.9 deaths/1000 person-days observation with 95%CI: (30.6, 39.7). Gestational age Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR=0.86(95% CI :(0.79, 0.94)), breastfeeding initiation (AHR= 0.10(95%CI: (0.05, 0.20)), low first minute APGAR score(AHR=1.98(95%CI: (1.38, 2.84) Hyaline Membrane Disease (AHR=1.41(95%CI:(1.05, 1.88)), treated with corticosteroid (AHR=0.42(95%CI:(0.21,0.84)) and providing kangaroo mother care (AHR=0.40(95%CI: (0.27, 0.57)) were significant predictors for the incidence of mortality. Conclusions and recommendations: In this study, the incidence of mortality among preterm neonates was high. Gestational age, breastfeeding initiation, first minute APGAR score, HMD, antenatal corticosteroid and KMC were significant predictors of the incidence of mortality. Therefore it is better to give special attention and cares for preterm neonates with identified predictors to reduce mortality. Key words: Mortality, Preterm neonate, predictors, Ethiopia.