The low birth weight infant in the Ethio-Swedish Children's Hospital, Addis Ababa.
All low birth weight infants admitted to the neonatal unit of the Ethio-Swedish Children's Hospital (ESCH), Addis Ababa from September 1995 to August 1996 were followed until discharge. There were 604 babies with birth weight of less than 2,500 grams and 198 of them died in the hospital making the low birth weight mortality rate of 32.8%. More than 90% of these babies were admitted to the unit with body temperature of less than 36.5 degrees C irrespective of their birth places. Gestational age, birth weight and presence of mother in the neonatal unit had significant role in determining survival of the low birth weight infants. Prematurity related conditions were the most common causes of death followed by infection of the unit. Recommendations are made to improve survival rates of the low birth weight infants in Addis Ababa.
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Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9086, Addis Ababa.
D002423:Cause of Death; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors