ASSOCIATION OF MATERNAL AND NEONATAL RISK FACTORS OF NEONATAL SEPSIS- A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY IN A NEONATOLOGY UNIT.

Zahoor, Farnaz; Parvaiz, Hina; Shoaib, Muhammad

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of maternal and neonatal risk factors of neonatal sepsis with culture-proven sepsis. Materials And Methods: It is a cross-sectional study conducted in Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar Neonatology Department Peshawar KPK. The study duration was 6 months, from 1st September 2022 to 28th February 2023. A sample size of 208 was taken. All the neonates admitted to the NICU with clinical signs and symptoms of sepsis were included in the study and later confirmed by positive blood cultures. The signs and symptoms include neonates with fever, lethargy, reluctance to feed, hypothermia, convulsions, grunting, jaundice, and abdominal distention. All neonates were enrolled in the study after approval of the Institutional Ethical Board. Informed consent was taken from parents. Results: The highest frequency of presenting complaints was reluctance to feed and lethargy 19.7% of newborns had died because of sepsis. 79.3% of sepsis was seen in preterm. The mean age at admission was(N=208) 4.1 days ±5.1 SD, and the mean weight was 2.96 kg±0.68 SD. The clinical characteristics of neonates with neonatal sepsis 75% were reluctant to feed, 15.9% had convulsions, 26% had severe jaundice, and 73.6% were sedentary. 20.7% had a preterm birth, while 35.6% weighed less than 1.5kg with an APGAR score of less than 7 in 77.4% of neonates. The mean days of treatment in the NICU were 9.0 days ±8.44 SD. Males were predominantly affected, with a frequency of 71.2%, and females 28.8%. Among the different risk factors like crowded family, place of delivery, gestational age at birth, and birth asphyxia, birth asphyxia had a significant relationship with neonatal sepsis. Conclusion: Neonatal sepsis remains the leading cause of neonatal mortality. Our study established that both neonatal and maternal risk factors play a pivotal role in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, with a strong impact on maternal antenatal care as well.

NEONATAL sepsis; SYMPTOMS; NEONATAL mortality; PREMATURE labor; PRENATAL care

Journal of Medical Sciences (1997-3438), 2024, Vol 32, Issue 4, p309

1997-3438

Academic Journal

10.52764/jms.24.32.4.3