Abstract:
Background: Referred to world health organization, definition failure of neonates to initiate and
sustain breathing at birth. Birth asphyxia remains a major cause of global mortality, contributing to
almost 4 million neonatal deaths. The magnitude and associated factors of birth asphyxia are not
well investigated in Ethiopia, and there has not yet been a report on the magnitude and
associated factors of birth asphyxia in the study area
Objective: This study assessed the magnitude and association factors of birth asphyxia among
neonates delivered in selected public hospitals, Eastern Ethiopia on January 15, 2019-December 31,
2021.
Methods: A two-year retrospective study was conducted in randomly selected newborns mother
medical records in two public hospitals (Bisidimo and haromaya general hospitals).A total of 4100
maternal cards from January 15, 2019-December 31, 2021 were 367 maternal medical charts reviewed.
A systematic sampling technique was used to include maternal chart and a structured data extraction
format was used for data collection. Data were entered and cleaned using Epi DATA version 3.1 and
analyzed by SPSS version 20 statistical packages. Descriptive and analytical methods were used for data
analysis. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were used for data analysis along with the
calculation of prevalence odds ratios and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals to identify
factors associated with the primary outcome of interest (birth asphyxia) at P<0.05 statistical
significance.
Results: The prevalence of neonatal asphyxia was found to be of 29.5% (95% CI: 24.7% –34.2%).
In a multi-variable logistic regression analysis, a neonate mother lived in rural (AOR=1.3; 95%
CI: 0.73–2.34), having no ante natal care follow up (AOR =2.8; 95% CI: 1.4-3.8), having
caesarian section (AOR=3; 95% CI: 0.99–9.2) were all found to be independent predictors of
birth asphyxia.
Conclusion: Almost one out of three neonates had birth asphyxia. A woman who living in rural
resident and a woman had no history of ante natal care follow up and a woman had caesarian section
should be more attention for the risk of birth asphyxia.
