Abstract:
Early neonatal death is one of the major classifications of neonatal death that
occurs during the first seven days of life, and deaths happening in this period are mainly due to
obstetric causes. Over 3 million early neonatal deaths are anticipated to come about annually.
The substantial causes of early neonatal death were birth asphyxia and respiratory distress
syndrome.In the different corner of Ethiopia many studies were conducted on the neonatal
mortality yet, only few of them were focused on early neonatal mortality indicating limitation of
the evidence on the early neonatal mortality in the country.
Objectives: To estimate magnitude and factors associated with early neonatal death among early
neonates admitted at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit fromSeptember 11, 2018 to September 10,
2021 in Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital in Harar, Eastern Ethiopia.
Methods: Institutional based cross- sectional study design was conducted among 440 randomly
selected early neonates. Data were extracted from medical records and neonatal registration book
using a checklist adapted from the world health organization and other different
literatures.Thedata werecleaned, coded and entered to Epi Data version 3.1 and analyzed using
Stata version 15.A descriptive analysis was performed. Bi-variable and multivariableanalysis
were done to identify the association between independent variables and the outcome variable.
Associations between variables were measured using an odds ratio at 95% CI.P-value <0.05 was
used to declare statistical significance.
Result:Magnitude of early neonatal mortality was 10.6% [(95%CI:8,14)]. Being preterm
[AOR=3.5, 95%CI (1.62,7.6), having respiratory distress syndrome
[AOR=4.6,95%CI(2.23,9.26)], being LBW[AOR=3.6,95%CI (1.41,8.04)], low Apgar score at 5
minutes[AOR=3.89, 95%CI (1.88,8,04)], Chorioamnionitis [AOR= 6.2 95%CI,
1.3,30.23)],Receiving CPAP [AOR=5.19, 95% CI (2.39,11.23) and maintenance fluid-fed
newborns [AOR=2.61,95%CI (1.14,5.91)] were factorssignificantly associated with early
neonatal death.
Conclusion: The overall proportion of early neonatal death was high.The study identified that
preterm, maternal complication during labor and delivery like chorioamnionitis, and respiratory
distress syndrome, low birth weight, low Apgar score at 5th minute, newborns received CPAP
and maintenance fluid-fed newborns were independent factors associated with early neonatal
mortality. Health care providers should give special attention for early recognition of
abnormalitiesand manage accordingly during ANC and labor follow up
