title: Factors influencing the survival of newborn babies weighing <1.5 kg in Sagamu, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of the causes of death among low birth weight babies may facilitate interventions required to improve their survival.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the epidemiological factors associated with the survival of very low- and extremely low birth weight babies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive low birth weight babies aged <168 h in a Nigerian tertiary hospital were studied between January and December 2008 using bivariate and multivariate methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 160 babies weighing <2.5 kg admitted, 78 (48.8%) weighed 0.65-1.49 kg. Survival rates were 6.7% for <1 kg, 57.4% for 1-1.49 kg and 84.9% for 1.5-2.49 kg. Overall, survival rate was 84.9% for babies weighing ≥ 1.5 kg (84.9%) compared to 46.4% among babies weighing <1.5 kg (P < 0.0001). Survival among babies who weighed <1.5 kg was associated with EGA ≥ 32 weeks and caesarean delivery while death was associated with the occurrence of asphyxia, apnea and respiratory distress. EGA ≥ 32 weeks (OR = 1.7), absence of respiratory distress (OR = 2.1) and absence of apnea (OR = 5.3) were independent determinants of survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survival rate of babies weighing <1.5 kg remains high in this population. The poor state of diagnostic and therapeutic facilities in the centre may be contributory.
authors.affiliation: Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, P. O. Box 652, Sagamu 121001, Ogun State, Nigeria. tinuade_ogunlesi@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Tinuade A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ogunlesi
mesh_terms: D001049:Apnea / Q000401:mortality; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate