NEONATAL MORTALITY OF LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT BABIES IN NORTH AFRICA

Aim: Determining the impact of low-birth-weight (LBW) on neonatal mortality rate of babies from North Africa.

Methods: We performed a retrospective descriptive analytical study of all neonatal LBW dead babies over the period January 2011- December 2012 at the neonatology department of Sidi Bel Abbes, Western Algeria.

Results: 1242 low birth weight babies were admitted to the nursery, of these there were 229 deaths at a frequency of 18%. The causes of the neonatal mortality was multifactorial, with the help of our statistical analysis we found the following odds: the young maternal age (OR = 2.6; IC 95% (0.2-2.83); p = 0.001); primiparity (OR = 8.2; IC 95% (2.56-12.5); p = 0.001); close spacing of pregnancies less than 12 months (OR = 5.2; IC 95% (1.69-7.18); p = 0.001), genital infection (OR = 1.3; IC 95% (1-2.59); p = 0.001); eclampsia (OR = 4.6; IC 95% (2.01-5.71); p = 0.001); prematurity (OR = 4.8; IC 95% (1.9-6.8); p = 0.001); low birth weight <2500 grams (OR = 5.58; IC 95% (2.46-6.89); p = 0.001); septicemia (OR = 5.8; IC 95% (1.2-7.1); p = 0.001), asphyxia (OR = 2.56; IC 95 % (0.95-3.1); p = 0.001), Icterus (OR = 2.56; IC 95% (0.95-3.10; p = 0.001) and the lower Apgar score (OR = 6.25; IC 95% (1.23- 8.56; p = 0.001).

Conclusion: Intensive care facilities for maternal health and preterm LBW neonates will substantially improves the neonatal forecast.