Determinants of Low Birth Weight Among Newborns Delivered at Public Health Facilities of Bishoftu Town, East Shewa Zone, Ethiopia: Unmatched Case-Control Study.

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major global public health issue that can have a number of serious, potentially fatal health consequences. It is the most common cause of neonatal and child death in low- and middle-income countries, which also has a number of negative health effects. However, the determinants of LBWs were not yet completely recognized in Ethiopia. Thus, it is aimed at identifying the determinants of LBW among newborns delivered at public health facilities in Bishoftu town, Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted at Bishoftu town. Data were collected from mothers having newborns with birth weight < 2500 gm (cases) and 2500 to 4000 gm (controls) using a pretested questionnaire and medical record review. Lastly, Epi Info 7 to enter the obtained data, and SPSS version 21 was used for analysis. Factors in the bivariate analysis with a p value less than 0.25 were added to the multivariable logistic regression, where a p value less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results:A total of 285 neonates (95 cases and 190 controls) were included in the study. Being not preeclampsia (AOR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.13-0.88), lack of iron supplementation (AOR = 12.16; 95% CI: 5.40-27.42), preterm delivery (AOR = 7.49, 95% CI: 3.23-17.36), lack of information (AOR = 4.65, 95% CI: 1.37-15.750), and not experienced premature rupture of membranes (PROM) (AOR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08-0.91) were identified as statistically significant variables in LBW. Conclusion: LBW was significantly influenced by preeclampsia, PROM, missing iron-folate supplementation during pregnancy, and ignorance of the warning symptoms of premature delivery during pregnancy. Therefore, reducing LBW requires a lot of work, including developing effective interventions and monitoring policies.

Postabortion contraceptives uptake and its associated factors among clients visiting abortion care services in public hospitals in West Shewa Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia, 2021.

Background: Postabortion contraception is the initiation and use of postabortion contraceptive methods immediately after an abortion. It is a critical approach for preventing unwanted pregnancy, alleviating its complications, and avoiding repeated abortions by promoting immediate postabortion contraceptives provision. Objective: To assess the level of postabortion contraceptives uptake and its associated factors among clients visiting abortion care services in public hospitals in West Shewa Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Methods and materials: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in public hospitals in the West Shewa Zone from 1 March 2021 to 30 May 2021, among 227 proportionally allocated clients based on the proportion of the client served in the previous 3 months of the study period. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using semi-structured and pretested questionnaire from women who received the abortion services. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess the association of independent variables with postabortion contraceptive uptake. Findings with p-value of 0.05 at 95% confidence interval were considered as statistically significant. Results: The overall postabortion contraception uptake among abortion service clients in public hospitals was 164 (74%) while about 42% of them used long-term contraceptive methods. Postabortion contraceptive uptake was significantly associated with media exposure to postabortion family planning information (adjusted odds ratio: 3.4 (95% confidence interval: 1.03-11.27)) and counseling on postabortion family planning (adjusted odds ratio: 20.48 (95% confidence interval: 5.02-83.64)). Conclusion: Level of postabortion contraceptive method uptake in West Shewa was low as compared to the national target. Greater attention should be given on providing postabortion contraceptive counseling to increase the postabortion contraceptive uptake.

Predictors of preterm birth in Western Ethiopia: A case control study.

BACKGROUND: Early neonatal death caused by preterm birth contributes the most for perinatal death. The prevalence of preterm birth continues to rise and is a significant public health problem. The exact cause of preterm birth is yet unanswered, as mostly preterm birth happens spontaneously. Predictors of preterm birth in developing countries like Ethiopia were not well investigated, and no study was conducted before this in the study area. OBJECTIVES: To identify predictors of preterm birth in Western Ethiopia, 2017/2018. METHODS: Health facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted from October 20/2017-march 20/2018 in 4 Hospitals. A total sample size of 358 women was recruited. From this 72 were cases and 286 were controls. Cases were mothers who gave Preterm birth, and controls were mothers who gave birth at term. Ethical clearance was obtained from Wollega University ethical review committee. A pre tested, structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data entry and analysis was done using Epi Data 3.1 and SPSS version 21, respectively. Logistic regression was done to identify predictors of preterm birth. RESULT: Three hundred fifty-eight women participated in this study of which 72 were cases and 286 were controls; making the overall response rate of 100%. Lack of antenatal care visit [AOR = 3.18, 95% CI 1.37-7.38]),(Having 1-2 antenatal care visit [AOR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.18-4.35]),history of previous preterm)[AOR = 5.19, 95% CI1.29-20.88],Short Interpregnancy Interval [AOR = 4.41.95% CI 2.05-9.47],Having Reproductive tract infections [AOR = 2.54, 95% CI 1.02-6.32] and having Obstetric complications [AOR = 2.48,95% CI 1.31-4.71] were found to be predictors of preterm birth. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Risk factors of preterm delivery are multifactorial and depend on geographical and demographic features of the population studied. Hence results of studies from one area might not be applicable to another area. Antenatal care visits are unique opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment of problems. Therefore, antenatal care should be strengthened, and appropriate counseling should be given at each antenatal care follow up. Maintainning optimum birth interval through family planning, and early identification and treatment of reproductive tract infections are mandatory.

Essential new-born care practices and associated factors among post natal mothers in Nekemte City, Western Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: New-born survival is a prominent goal on the global health agenda and an important area of focus for programs seeking to ensure child survival. Geographically, neonatal deaths are most prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, accounting for 39% and 38% of all neonatal deaths respectively while Ethiopia in particular has 28% neonatal death. Promotion of essential new-born care practice is one of a cheap approach to improve health outcomes of new-born babies. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the magnitude of essential new-born care practices and associated factors among postnatal mothers in Nekemte city, Western Ethiopia. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March, 2017, in Nekemte city, East Wollega Zone. Data was collected from 417 randomly selected mothers who have less than six months infants by face to face interview in three public health institutions of Nekemte City, Ethiopia. Women who were not biological mother to the new-born were excluded from the study. The collected data were coded, cleaned and entered using Epi-Data version 3.1 and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were computed to identify associated factors. The strength of association was measured by odds ratios with 95% confidence interval (CI) at a p-value of < 0.05 and finally obtained results were presented by using simple frequency tables, graphs, and charts. RESULTS: The study revealed that the level of essential new-born care practice was 184(44.1%). The overall safe cord care practice of the respondents was 285 (68.3%) while the optimal thermal care practices and good neonatal feeding were 328 (78.7%) and 322 (77.2%) respectively. Having visit to Antenatal Care (ANC) [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 4.38, 95% CI = (1.38, 13.94)], knowledge of essential new-born care [AOR = 4.58, 95% CI = (2.93, 7.16)], and counselled about essential new-born care [AOR = 2.32, 95% CI = (1.38, 3.91)] were factors significantly associated with good practices of essential new-born care. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that the level of essential new-born care practice was unsatisfactory in the study area. Promotion of essential new-born care through the provision of community awareness and provision of counselling on essential new-born care and neonatal danger signs to all pregnant women should be given emphasis.

Risk factors associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in Nekemte referral hospital, from July 2015 to June 2017, Ethiopia: case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the most common medical problem encountered in pregnancy and is a leading cause of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. However, its magnitude and risk factors yet not adequately assessed at the study area. METHODS: Facility-based retrospective unmatched case-control study was conducted to identify risk factors associated with Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in Nekemte Referral Hospital just two years back from study period July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2017. Bivariate logistic regression was considered for inclusion in to the multivariate logistic regression. Finally, multi varaite analysis were done to identify risk factors of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. RESULTS: Among 6826 total delivery records from July 2015 -June 2017, 199 women developed hypertension during pregnancy. Among 199 women 153(76.9%) were pre-eclampsia/eclampsia,28(14.1%) were gestational hypertension, 14(0.7%) were superimposed hypertension and 4 (2.9%) were chronic hypertension. Age ≥ 35 (AOR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.08, 5.83), rural residential area (AOR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.150, 2.799), prim gravida (AOR: 3.39, 95% CI: 2.16, 5.33), null parity (AOR: 4.35, 95% CI: 2.36, 8.03), positive history of abortion (AOR: 4.39, 95% CI: 1.64, 11.76), twin pregnancy (AOR: 3.78, 95% CI: 1.52, 9.39), lack of ANC follow up (AOR: 3.05, 95% CI: 1.56, 5.96) as well as positive pre-existing hypertension (AOR: 3.81, 95% CI: 1.69, 8.58), positive family history of hypertension (AOR: 5.04, 95% CI: 2.66, 9.56) and positive history of diabetes mellitus (AOR: 5.03, 95% CI: 1.59, 15.89) were risk factors for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: This study found that Women with hypertension during pregnancy have a greater risk of developing adverse pregnancy outcome as compared to normotensive pregnant women. so, identification of these risk factors would be useful for early diagnosis of hypertension disorders during pregnancy to give appropriate clinical monitoring and treatments and timely managing maternal and perinatal complications.