Determinants of Birth Asphyxia Among Newborns in Debre Berhan Referral Hospital, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia: a Case-control Study

Abstract Background: Birth asphyxia is the major public health problem in the world. It is estimated that around 23% of all newborn deaths are caused by birth asphyxia worldwide. Birth asphyxia is the top three causes of newborn deaths in sub-Saharan Africa and more than one-third of deaths in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify determinants of birth asphyxia which can play a crucial role to decrease the death of newborns.Methods: Unmatched case-control study design was implemented among 276 (92 cases and 184 controls) newborns from January 1st to March 30th, 2020. A systematic sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected by using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and document review by trained nurses and midwives who work at the delivery ward of the hospitals. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was done to identify determinants of birth asphyxia. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and p-value less than 0.05 were used to assess the level of significance. Results: In this study, maternal education of being can’t read & write [AOR = 4.7, 95% CI: (1.2, 11.9)], ante-partum hemorrhage [AOR = 7.7, 95% CI: (1.5, 18.5)], prolonged labor [AOR =13.5, 95% CI: (2.0, 19.4)], meconium stained amniotic fluid [AOR = 11.3, 95% CI: (2.7, 39.5)], breech fetal presentation [AOR = 4.5, 95% CI: (2.0, 8.4)] and preterm birth [AOR: 4.1, 95% CI: (1.8, 9.2)] were factors which showed significantly associated with birth asphyxia among newborns.Conclusions: In this study, maternal education can’t read & write, antepartum hemorrhage, prolonged labour, stained amniotic fluid, breech fetal presentation, preterm birth were significantly associated with birth asphyxia. So, educating mothers to have continuous follow-up during the pregnancy period and provide quality care to the women in labour through close monitoring of the fetus presentation were recommended to reduce birth asphyxia.