article · BMC Pediatrics
Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal mortality globally and accounts for over a third of newborn deaths in Ethiopia. An unmatched case-control study involving 276 newborns was conducted at Debre Berhan referral hospital to identify key risk factors associated with the condition. Data collected through questionnaires and medical records revealed that clinical complications during pregnancy and labour significantly increased the risk of birth asphyxia. Prolonged labour and meconium-stained amniotic fluid showed the strongest links, followed by antepartum haemorrhage, breech presentation, and preterm birth. Maternal illiteracy was also identified as a significant contributing determinant. The findings indicate that birth asphyxia risks can be mitigated through closer intrapartum fetal monitoring, timely management of labour complications, and targeted maternal health education.
Birth asphyxia accounts for nearly a quarter of neonatal deaths globally and an even higher proportion in sub-Saharan Africa. By identifying specific maternal and labour-related warning signs, healthcare providers can better anticipate delivery complications, intervene earlier, and implement targeted monitoring to save newborn lives in clinical settings.
The findings can inform clinical training protocols, labour ward triage guidelines, and maternity care checklists for healthcare providers in resource-constrained hospital settings. However, as an observational epidemiological study, the abstract does not indicate a direct product, technology, or commercialisation pathway.
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BACKGROUND: Birth asphyxia is the major public health problem in the world. It is estimated that around 23% of all newborn deaths are caused by birth asphyxia worldwide. Birth asphyxia is the top three causes of newborn deaths in sub-Saharan Africa and more than one-third of deaths in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify determinants of birth asphyxia which can play a crucial role to decrease the death of newborns. METHODS: Unmatched case-control study design was implemented among 276 (92 cases and 184 controls) newborns from January 1st to March 30th, 2020. A systematic sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected by using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and document review by trained nurses and midwives who work at the delivery ward of the hospitals. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was done to identify determinants of birth asphyxia. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and p-value less than and equal to 0.05 were used to assess the level of significance. RESULTS: In this study, maternal education of being can't read & write [AOR = 4.7, 95% CI: (1.2, 11.9)], ante-partum hemorrhage [AOR = 7.7, 95% CI: (1.5, 18.5)], prolonged labor [AOR =13.5, 95% CI: (2.0, 19.4)], meconium stained amniotic fluid [AOR = 11.3, 95% CI: (2.7, 39.5)], breech fetal presentation [AOR = 4.5, 95% CI: (2.0, 8.4)] and preterm birth [AOR: 4.1, 95% CI: (1.8, 9.2)] were factors which showed significantly associated with birth asphyxia among newborns. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, maternal education can't read & write, antepartum hemorrhage, prolonged labor, stained amniotic fluid, breech fetal presentation, preterm birth were significantly associated with birth asphyxia. So, educating mothers to enhance health-seeking behaviors and close monitoring of the labor and fetus presentation were recommended to reduce birth asphyxia.
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DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03223-3
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