Abstract:
Background: Neonatal sepsis is a microorganism invasion which spreads into the blood stream
causing a toxic condition or septicemia among babies aged 28 days. Globally neonatal sepsis is
the third leading cause on neonatal morbidity and mortality accounting for fifteen percent during
neonatal period. Neonatal sepsis shares the burden of health care problem in the world by
causing approximately 1.4 million neonatal deaths annually. Even though neonatal sepsis cause
high burden of morbidity there are few studies conducted in Ethiopia but majority of them has
not assessed the association of time of initiation and breast feeding with neonatal sepsis.
Additionally there study population was neonate admitted to neonatal intensive care unit.
Objective: To assess Prevalence of Neonatal Sepsis and Associated Factors among Neonates in
Hawassa City Administration Public Hospitals Southern Ethiopia, January, 20/2018 to February,
30/2018.
Methods: Institution based cross sectional study design was used and data were taken from 402
neonates’ mothers who delivered in Hawassa University Referral Hospital and Adare General
Hospital from January, 20 to February, 30/2018. Systematic sampling method was used to select
study participants and the data collected by trained diploma nurse data collectors using structured
questioner and card review. The data were checked for completeness, cleaned manually and
entered in to EPI DATA V 3.1and exported in to SPSS V 20 for further analysis. Bivariate and
multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with neonatal sepsis.
Result: The overall prevalence of neonatal sepsis was found that 16.9% (95% CI 13%, 21%).
Similarly factors; fever [AOR= 5.9 (95%CI 2.34, 15.28], instrumental delivery [AOR=9.05
(95%CI: 2.59, 31.59) pre mature rupture of membrane [AOR= 6.42 (95%CI: 2.29, 15.28)] and
preterm [AOR= 9.3 (95%CI: 3.34, 25.99)] were positively associated with the occurrence of
neonatal sepsis. Early initiation of breast feeding had a protective effect on neonatal sepsis
[AOR= 0.31 (95%CI: 0.05, 0.33)].
Conclusion and Recommendation: This study found that the overall prevalence of neonatal
sepsis in two hospitals was high. From obstetric and maternal related factor intra partum fever,
Premature rapture of membrane 18 hour, preterm baby and instrumental delivery and early
initiation of breast feeding were identified as independent predictors of neonatal sepsis.
Therefore educating mothers about urine tract infection, time of initiation and use of breast
feeding should be considered at antenatal follow up to decreases neonatal sepsis
