Predictors of mortality of low birth weight newborns during the neonatal period: A cohort study in two health districts of Burkina Faso.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the neonatal mortality rate among low birth weight infants, and identify the predictors of mortality during the neonatal period in two health districts in Burkina Faso.


METHODS
A prospective cohort study of live born babies delivered in health centers that weighed less than 2500 g. Their survival status at the end of the neonatal period was measured and analyzed using multivariate analysis in a Cox proportional hazards model.


RESULTS
The study included 341 newborns (146 newborns from Kaya health district and 195 from Dori health district). The mean weight was 2158.2±287.1g. Neonatal mortality was 53 per 1000 live births (18 deaths and 323 survivors), while the incidence density was 1.93 per 1000 persons/days (95% CI,1.2-3.1). After adjustment, the factors significantly associated with neonatal death included preterm infants (HR 8.0; 95% CI, 2.4-26.5), the mother's history of infant death (HR 14.3; 95% CI, 4.1-49.7), young maternal age (HR 0.9; 95% CI, 0.8-0.9), immunization status (HR 5,1; 95% CI, 1.8-14.2), and infant birth weight (HR 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Neonatal mortality among low birth weight infants in the study population was 53 per 1000 live births. This is higher than the 28 per 1000 live births reported by the 2010 Demographic Health Survey for the general population. Therefore, it is necessary to follow infants with low birth weight after they leave health centers.
Biomedical and Public Health Department, Institute of Research in Health Science, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Electronic address: samsoncoul@gmail.com.
Abou
A
Coulibaly
Biomedical and Public Health Department, Institute of Research in Health Science, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Adama
A
Baguiya
African Public Health Institute, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Tieba
T
Millogo
Biomedical and Public Health Department, Institute of Research in Health Science, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Ivlabèhiré Bertrand
IB
Meda
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Charles de Gaulle University and Pediatric Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Fla
F
Koueta
Biomedical and Public Health Department, Institute of Research in Health Science, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; African Public Health Institute, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Seni
S
Kouanda
D001724:Birth Weight; D002050:Burkina Faso / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
Burkina Faso; Low birth weight; Neonatal mortality; Predictors; Survival