Abstract

Background: Neonatal asphyxia is defined as the inability of newborns to initiate and sustain normal breathing patterns. Globally, neonatal asphyxia continues to be a substantial cause of mortality and disability. In Yaounde Cameroon, the prevalence of neonatal asphyxia was found to be 80.5 per 1000 live births, with a mortality of 6.7 %. Despite the high rates of mortality due to NNA, there is a scarcity of data on NNA in Ngaoundere. Also, conducting this study may provide data and hence strategies on how to reduce the burden of NNA in Adamaoua region, Ngaoundere.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence, associated factors, and outcomes of neonatal asphyxia amongst term neonates in two hospitals in Ngaoundere.

Materials and methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional analytic study carried out at Ngaoundere Regional hospital and Ngaoundere Protestant hospital. Data was collected using a pretested well-structured questionnaire which included; sociodemographic, associated factors (antepartum, intrapartum and neonatal), and short-term outcome factors. These data were analysed with a statistical analysis software package, Statistical Package for Social Sciences, SPSS version 25. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and proportions while continuous as mean and standard deviation. Associations were derived from Logistic regression.

Results: Prevalence of neonatal asphyxia was 35% (114 out of 330). Significantly associated factors of NNA were; Young maternal age (<19) (p=0.032), malaria (p=0.001), anaemia (p=0.005), prolonged labour (p=0.001), meconium-stained amniotic fluid (p=0.01), acute foetal distress (p=0.000) and low birth weight (p=0.019). The most common short-term outcome was hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. A majority of neonates were discharged with stable neurological status. Mortality was 15.8%.

Conclusion: NNA was high in our setting. Significantly associated factors were young maternal age, anaemia, malaria, prolonged labour, acute foetal distress, meconium-stained amniotic fluid and low birth weight. Better strategies can be implemented at antenatal consultations and during delivery to reduce NNA, hence reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Check out: Health Science Project Topics with Materials